Maine Democratic gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson, who is scheduled to campaign with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., this week, has positioned himself as a pro-choice advocate for governor, but his legislative voting record tells a different story.

Jackson received a 100% rating from the Maine Right to Life organization during his time as a state lawmaker — a designation indicating a voting record wholly consistent with pro-life policies, according to records reviewed by Fox News Politics.

In 2011, Jackson voted for a bill that would have affirmed personhood in the womb. Two years later, in 2013, he voted to advance counseling requirements for women considering an abortion, providing them with second-opinion resources designed to explore alternatives to ending a pregnancy. Both measures failed to pass into law.

EMILY's List, a prominent pro-abortion group, launched a six-figure television advertising campaign against Jackson in 2014 due to his record on abortion-related legislation, according to local reporting by the Portland Press Herald.

Sanders officially endorsed Jackson on Friday, calling him the governor "that working Mainers need."

What the Right Is Saying

Critics from the right argue that Jackson's past votes reveal his true beliefs and question the sincerity of his current pro-choice positioning.

In 2014, Emily Cain, Jackson's primary opponent at the time, told the Portland Press Herald: "Politicians should not be involved in a woman's personal medical decisions about her pregnancy. Period."

As recently as October 2022 — just four months after the Dobbs decision — Jackson told local reporters he was struggling with the abortion issue, suggesting his current stance represents a political calculation rather than genuine conviction.

Maine Right to Life continues to point to his legislative record as evidence of his prior positions on abortion-related measures during his time in the state legislature.

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive supporters point to Jackson's recent evolution on reproductive rights as evidence of growth and responsiveness to changed circumstances following the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision, which ended the constitutional right to abortion.

Sanders praised Jackson during his endorsement, saying he has "always stood with those of us who understand that health care is a human right."

Since declaring his candidacy for governor last May, Jackson has taken a clear pro-choice position on social media, writing: "The right to decide if and when to start a family is fundamental to our freedom and to who we are as Americans. It is a deeply personal decision that should not be made by politicians or justices."

Abortion rights groups have also acknowledged Jackson's current stance. After Maine passed expansions to abortion access, Planned Parenthood released a statement saying: "We applaud President Jackson and the 20 state senators and 76 representatives acting in the best interest of Mainers today."

What the Numbers Show

Jackson received a 100% rating from Maine Right to Life during his tenure as a state lawmaker, according to the organization's scoring methodology.

In 2011, Jackson voted for a personhood-affirming bill that did not pass into law. In 2013, he supported counseling requirements for women considering abortion — legislation that also failed to advance.

EMILY's List spent six figures on television advertising against Jackson in 2014, according to local reporting.

Following the Dobbs decision, Maine passed expansions to abortion access under Jackson's leadership, removing restrictions on late-term abortions. The state now permits late-term procedures with physician approval and has no strict gestational cutoff, though some protections apply after viability around the 24-to-26-week mark.

The Bottom Line

The contrast between Jackson's legislative history and his current campaign platform illustrates how the Dobbs decision has reshaped political calculations around abortion at the state level. Candidates who previously held positions aligned with their districts may now face pressure to adopt more explicit pro-choice stances as the issue shifts from federal constitutional law to state-by-state policy decisions.

Sanders' endorsement signals continued alignment between progressive national figures and Jackson's campaign, despite lingering questions about his record. Whether voters view his evolution as genuine reflection or political opportunism could prove decisive in the gubernatorial race.