What to know about Troy Jackson, the Democratic frontrunner for Maine Senate

Former state Sen. Troy Jackson (D-Maine) has emerged as the frontrunner for Democrats in the Maine Senate race. 

Jackson has received endorsements from challengers Dan Kleban and former CDC Director Nirav Shah, who both dropped out of the race on Sunday. 

The two said Jackson was the most “electable” candidate and urged party members to rally around him in an effort to defeat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). 

Here’s what to know about Jackson: 

He previously ran as a Republican

Jackson has a storied political career in the Pine Tree State, however he’s not always been closely tied to the Democratic party. 

The former state senator ran for office in 2000 as a Republican but ultimately switched to the independent affiliation in 2002. 

Two years later, he joined the Democratic faction in 2004, while serving in the state House. 

A logger turned state Senate leader

Jackson is a fifth-generation logger from north Maine, specifically Allagash, which is the largest town in Maine by land area. However, only a little over 200 people reside in the municipality nicknamed “Moosetown.”

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