Maine Democrats openly admit their Senate nominee isn’t setting anyone’s heart on fire. They just don’t think it matters.
With the race in its final days, Democrats are counting on voters’ anger at President Donald Trump, and at Republican Sen. Susan Collins for going along with him, to deny the 73-year-old incumbent a sixth term, reported the Washington Post.
“This race isn’t really about me – it never was,” Democratic nominee Troy Jackson told the Post. “People should be angry that our government is broke.”
Many voters seem to agree. Jackson is “not inspirational,” said Chris Gulick, a 73-year-old from Kennebunk, moments after voting for him. “We have got to get rid of the Republicans,” he added, holding back tears. “They are killing the country.”
Mattie Daughtry, who succeeded Jackson as president of the Maine state Senate, wondered aloud whether “anyone in this room” full of volunteers could have been the nominee and still had a shot at ousting Collins.
“It shows you the level of anger there is about Susan Collins,” she said.
A Post poll this month found Jackson with 50 percent of likely voters to Collins’ 46 percent, within the margin of error. Just 36 percent of Mainers approve of Trump’s job performance, and 58 percent say Collins has supported him too much.
Jackson, a former logger and onetime Republican, was hardly the party’s first choice. He finished third in June’s Democratic primary for governor. He got the Senate nomination only after the campaign of oysterman Graham Platner collapsed under a sexual assault allegation, which Platner denies.
Some Democrats worry the lack of enthusiasm could cost them. “There is absolutely a lack of enthusiasm for our candidate. And there is no way to fix it,” one top Maine Democrat told the Post. The race has brought back memories of 2020, when Democrat Sara Gideon led in the polls and still lost to Collins by nine points.
Jackson’s gruff style was on display in a debate this month, when he told Collins to “shut up.” Republicans condemned the outburst, but some supporters embraced it. One union organizer began handing out “Shuddup Susan” buttons.
Jackson waved off any regrets. “I’m tired of Senator Collins talking down to working-class people and me,” he said.
He also acknowledged how hard it is to beat her.
“Obviously, Senator Collins is the biggest unicorn that you can ever go up against,” Jackson said. “But she has put herself in a position where people across the state now feel like she’s hurting us.”