Bangor, Maine - Maine Democrats recently tapped Troy Jackson to run for Senate, replacing disgraced candidate Graham Platner.
In a press release shared on Saturday, the Maine Democratic Party announced Jackson's victory after he secured 566 votes at its recent US Senate Nominating Convention from delegates across the state.
In a statement, Party Chair Charlie Dingman congratulated Jackson and said the party is now "united" in its focus to defeat Republican nominee Susan Collins during the November midterms.
The pick comes after Platner quit the race after a rape allegation made against him drove major Democratic backers to abandon him.
The Democratic Party has since faced heavy criticism for seemingly failing to properly vet Platner, as several other scandals plagued his candidacy.
His absence has also left a large hole to fill, as Platner had managed to spark notable enthusiasm with the party's progressive voters, drawing national attention to the race.
Politico notes that while Jackson is not as galvanizing a public speaker and his fundraising leaves much to be desired, he does have electoral experience, having held a state Senate seat in the past and worked on Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders' two presidential campaigns.
Jackson's website lists his top leadership priorities as passing Medicare for all, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, taxing billionaires and corporations, abolish ICE, and end the genocide in Gaza.