Troy Jackson, a former Maine gubernatorial candidate and potential Democratic Senate nominee, faced tough questions this week about his past support for Graham Platner, who suspended his Senate campaign after a rape allegation. During an appearance on MSNBC's «The Moment» with host Katy Tur, Jackson struggled to justify why he remained a backer of Platner through multiple controversies, including a Nazi tattoo, racist and sexist Reddit posts, and allegations of aggressive behavior toward women.
Tur pressed Jackson on his loyalty, noting that he had bragged about being one of Platner's earliest supporters. «Why did you stick with him after the Nazi tattoo? Why did you stick with him after The New York Times article and the aggressive women stuff, stick with him after the Reddit posts that were arguably racist and sexist?» she asked. Jackson responded by saying he was unaware of the Reddit posts and that Platner had explained the tattoo and other incidents as «dark times» from which he had grown. «I understood that people can change,» Jackson said.
Jackson, who filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to potentially replace Platner as the Democratic nominee, emphasized that his support was driven by Platner's policy positions, such as Medicare for All and a desire for systemic change. However, he acknowledged that the sexual assault allegation crossed a «red line.» «When it came to a credible sexual assault, it became clear that that was it,» Jackson said. He added that Platner had assured him there was nothing in his past to worry about, but «he lied to me, and he lied to a lot of us.»
The controversy surrounding Platner has thrown the Maine Senate race into disarray. Platner, who won the Democratic primary last month, announced his withdrawal following new allegations of sexual assault. Under Maine law, Platner has until June 13 to officially withdraw if Democrats hope to replace him on the November ballot. If he steps aside before the deadline, the state Democratic Party will have until July 27 to select a new nominee to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Jackson, a longtime ally of Senator Bernie Sanders, has been a prominent figure in Maine politics. He was one of the few Democratic National Committee superdelegates to endorse Sanders over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential primary and later served as Sanders' Maine political director, introducing him at campaign rallies across the state. Despite his close ties to Sanders, the Vermont senator has not yet endorsed a replacement candidate for the Maine Senate seat.
The situation has left Maine Democrats scrambling to find a viable candidate to take on Collins, who is seeking reelection. The party faces a tight timeline, with just 18 days to name a replacement after Platner's withdrawal. The scandal has also raised questions about the vetting process for candidates, as Platner's past controversies were known before the primary but did not prevent him from securing the nomination.
Jackson's interview highlighted the challenges Democrats face in navigating the fallout from Platner's campaign. While Jackson defended his initial support by citing Platner's policy platform, critics argue that he should have distanced himself sooner given the severity of the allegations. The incident underscores the broader tensions within the party as it seeks to balance progressive ideals with the need for electable candidates in a competitive Senate race.