Maine Dem in hot seat for championing popular vote despite clinching Senate bid without it

Despite past calls to make the popular vote the deciding factor for presidential elections in Maine, Troy Jackson, a candidate for the U.S.Senate in Maine, is facing backlash for embracing his newfound Democratic Party nomination despite a process that circumvented the usual statewide consideration.The Maine Senate election spun out of control for Democrats earlier this month when sexual assault allegations emerged against the party’s official candidate, Graham Platner.Scrambling in response to the fallout, Maine Democrats announced they would create an open process, allowing potential replacement candidates to submit their intent to run and begin collecting signatures to appear on the ballot.

Then, a convention of 601 delegates would vote to select the new nominee.FORMER PLATNER ALLY TROY JACKSON LOCKS DOWN DELEGATES AS TOP RIVALS FOR DEMOCRATIC SENATE NOMINATION DROP OUTFormer State Senator Troy Jackson, a Democrat from Maine and gubernatorial candidate, speaks during a Fighting Oligarchy event with Graham Platner (Sophie Park / Bloomberg via Getty Images)"We have worked hard to create a fair process that is inclusive of varying viewpoints and diverse backgrounds of Democrats across the state of Maine, as we all come together in service of our ultimate goal: defeat Susan Collins and win this Senate seat," the Maine Democrats website states."These circumstances are unprecedented, but our state party is ready and capable of rising to this challenge."Kristen Cianci, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, unleashed on Jackson and the process that made him the nominee."It’s become increasingly clear that Troy Jackson will shapeshift into anything he needs to in order to gain power – including abandoning the belief that voters should decide elections," Cianci said in a statement."Mainers want a senator they can trust, not a snake-oil-salesman standing ready to sell them out at a moment’s notice," she added.But even before the process began, poli...