Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson is making affordability a central theme of his campaign, releasing his second television ad since securing the nomination last month.
The 30-second spot, simply titled “Broke,” highlights Jackson’s working-class roots in rural northern Maine, where he grew up in a family of loggers.
“I grew up a poor kid in a town full of poor people, doing everything right and still struggling to get ahead,” Jackson says in the ad, which features photographs from his childhood.
“People in this country work so damn hard and still feel so damn broke. That’s no way to live,” he continues. “Susan Collins keeps telling us that everything’s fine, but we know it’s not. We all have eyes, paychecks, and bills. We know we’re getting screwed. You deserve better.”
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and former Maine Senate president, is set to face longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November after being selected as the Democrats’ replacement nominee for Graham Platner. Platner withdrew from the race following allegations of sexual assault.
The race has quickly proven competitive. A Fox News poll conducted Aug. 6 to Aug. 10 found Jackson leading Collins 48% to 46%, within the poll’s 3-point margin of error. The Cook Political Report likewise rated the contest a toss-up.
Jackson has also consolidated support from prominent Democrats since winning the nomination. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) have backed his candidacy. Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Kirsten Gillibrand said Jackson is “well-positioned” to defeat Collins after harnessing “grassroots energy in Maine.”
Jackson also has the backing of the Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who had previously endorsed Platner.
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Republicans, meanwhile, are seeking to undermine Jackson’s working-class and anti-corruption message. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has portrayed him as a “political shapeshifter” who has abandoned his principles, pointing to his political evolution and questions about his son Chace Jackson’s lobbying work while Troy Jackson was serving as Maine Senate president.
The attacks come as Jackson attempts to build a statewide campaign on a compressed timeline after entering the Senate race in July. Meanwhile, Collins, a five-term incumbent, holds a significant financial advantage.