At least he’s spared a public Reddit record.
Troy Jackson, a new Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, has rushed to delete nearly all social media posts where he praised Graham Platner, who has been accused of sexual assault. It appears that Jackson, who is 58, a former lumberjack, and the ex-president of the Maine Senate, was a strong backer of Platner until recent allegations surfaced from Platner’s ex-girlfriend.
Reportedly, he removed over 20 posts supporting Platner just before the allegations emerged. Earlier, he had expressed his unwavering support by stating, “Graham Platner is exactly the type of Democrat that Susan Collins and the Republicans don’t know how to handle. That’s why I supported him in February, and that’s why I still support him now.”
Before the allegations, Jackson emphasized that Platner was building a working-class movement he believed extended throughout the state, from Fort Kent to Kittery. At that time, Jackson was pursuing the Democratic nomination for governor. However, after finishing third in the ranked-choice voting primary, the party shifted focus to Platner, who later withdrew from the Senate race amidst controversies related to his far-left connections and endorsements from figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Jackson’s now-deleted posts also included congratulatory messages towards Platner while highlighting their collaboration on worker rights. He had celebrated Platner’s commitment to giving workers more personal time, especially after Governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign.
Jackson also promoted a video from March featuring both men playing pool, stating, “It’s time to challenge the status quo. I’m proud to support my friend @grahamformaine.” This post has since disappeared as well.
Following the allegations against Platner, Jackson left a statement on July 6 urging him to withdraw from the race. Platner, for his part, has denied any wrongdoing.
Other posts that have vanished included a request for donations and comments referencing a local news article dubbing Jackson the “Graham, our Zoran, our Bernie.”
When asked about his deleted posts, Jackson’s campaign responded that after serious allegations of sexual assault came to light, Jackson requested Platner’s resignation. They noted that the campaign “has removed old posts that no longer reflect Troy’s position.”
Recently, Jackson secured the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. His party views Maine as crucial for regaining a Senate majority this November.
However, Republican National Committee spokesperson Natalie Baldassar accused Jackson of trying to reinvent himself politically, stating, “Troy Jackson was a devout socialist who worked hand in hand with Nazi rapist Graham Platner until the very end, and no matter how many posts are deleted, his past will never change.”
