Troy Jackson, a possible replacement for Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after he dropped out of the race on Wednesday, was pressed during an MS NOW interview on Thursday about an independent Maine voter saying he would vote for Republican Sen.Susan Collins over him.MS NOW host Katy Tur confronted Jackson with video of an independent Maine voter telling a reporter, "Troy Jackson is not progressive.
He voted against so many bad things, like gay marriage, abortion.He did that and now wants to say he's progressive." "If they put up Troy Jackson, if they put up Shenna Bellows, I'm voting for Susan Collins," the voter, Brent Hawkes, said.
"And I hate to say that as an independent, but Troy Jackson and Shenna Bellows aren't going to be able to do anything in the federal government."JOY REID GIVES MAINE DEMOCRATS 'PERMISSION TO NOT VOTE' IF PARTY REPLACES GRAHAM PLATNER WITH A MODERATEDemocratic U.S.Senate candidate Graham Platner and Troy Jackson stand together during a "Fighting Oligarchy" tour stop at the Collins Center for the Arts on the University of Maine campus in Orono, Maine, on May 24, 2026.
(Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Tur noted the voter was an independent but was espousing progressive viewpoints and asked Jackson to respond to him."Honestly, he is accurate," Jackson admitted."I voted against those things over 15 years ago.
Since then, you know, I've found out, I've understood.I mean, I've always been someone that believes that healthcare is a human right, and it became clear to me after some time that abortion, reproductive rights access is a human right," he said.Jackson touted a 100% voting record with Planned Parenthood."I've co-sponsored some of the most progressive abortion access in the entire country and fought vehemently for it," he said.
""And you know, I make no bones about a bad vote years ago coming out of a rural area, a very Catholic area.But, I mean, people are going to have all kinds of thoughts about these things, but I me...