Platner-ally Troy Jackson closing in on Democratic Senate nod in key race to face Collins

Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson appears to be sprinting far ahead of his rivals in the abbreviated race to replace now ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in the high-stakes showdown to face off with longtime Republican Sen.Susan Collins.Delegates aligned with Jackson won the vast majority of the 319 slots that were up for grabs on Saturday as Maine's 16 counties kicked off two days of delegate selection for next weekend's nominating convention."We’re well on our way to getting the government that we deserve," Jackson emphasized Saturday night in a video posted to social media, as he addressed supporters.

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you."Jackson is now in a strong position to secure the nomination and face off in the midterm elections against Collins in what's expected to be a combative and expensive ballot box battle that's among a dozen nationwide which will determine if the Democrats can win back the Senate majority.The GOP currently holds the chamber 53-47.MEET THE DEMOCRATS GUNNING TO REPLACE GRAHAM PLATNERFormer Maine Senate President Troy Jackson is running to replace ex-candidate Graham Platner as the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine.

(Sophie Park / Bloomberg via Getty Images)A fifth-generation logger and a one-time conservative Republican who became a Democrat over two decades ago, Jackson came in third place last month in Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary.On Saturday, in the race to replace Platner, Jackson-aligned delegates won more than 90% of the slots, including all 149 in Cumberland County, Maine's most populous county and home to the state's largest city, Portland.Along with Platner, Jackson had the support of progressive champion Sen.Bernie Sanders of Vermont as he ran for governor, and he is currently backed by 'Our Revolution,' the group born in 2016 out of Sanders' first presidential campaign.MAINE DEMOCRATS RALLY BEHIND PLATNER'S PLATFORM IN SPRINT TO REPLACE HIMORONO, MAINE - MAY 24: Sen...