Eight Democratic candidates took the debate stage in Maine on Thursday, making their final pitches just days before 601 delegates decide who will replace former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner.
News Center Maine split the candidates into two sessions. The first hour featured Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah, and former congressional candidate Jordan Wood. The second session included David Costello, Dan Kleban, Elizabeth Dickerson, and Ashley Webb.
Bellows opened her remarks by touting her career in public service and highlighting past clashes with President Donald Trump. "When Donald Trump came for your voter data, I said hell no go jump into the gulf of Maine," she said. Bellows also distinguished herself by revealing she grew up without running water or electricity until the fifth grade. "I'm here because Maine deserves a senator with backbone," she added.
Wood noted he publicly spoke out against Platner last October, saying it cost him politically. At age 37, Wood noted he was in second grade when Republican Sen. Susan Collins was first elected to the seat.
Jackson discussed how his political career began through union organizing with fellow loggers who were losing jobs to Canadian interests in the 1990s. His background as a logger differentiates him from other candidates in the race.
Shah focused on recent ICE activity in Maine while arguing he was best positioned to defeat Collins. "Senator, what do you expect to accomplish in the next six years that you have not been able to accomplish in the last three decades?" Shah asked.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive candidates emphasized their commitment to core Democratic priorities. Dickerson framed her candidacy around combating climate change as a central issue. Ashley Webb, a transgender-identifying songwriter and author, said his background prepared him for office but identified himself primarily as an angry citizen who would become an angry senator if elected, which he argued would be Republicans' worst nightmare.
All eight candidates aligned on major policy positions: abolishing or reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement, "standing up to Trump," and Medicare for All. The unified stance reflects Democratic primary voters' leftward shift on these issues in recent cycles.
Wood's public break with Platner drew attention from progressive activists who have sought fresh faces over establishment figures. "I've been willing to stand up even when it costs me politically," Wood said during the debate.
What the Right Is Saying
From a conservative perspective, the Democratic primary presents no clear contrast on policy substance. All eight candidates support Medicare for All, ICE reform, and opposition to Trump administration priorities—positions Republicans argue represent far-left overreach that Maine voters rejected in past elections.
Republicans note that Collins has represented Maine for decades and points to her constituent service and bipartisan work as reasons for her durability. The GOP argues that whichever Democrat emerges will push policies too liberal for a state that has historically valued moderate leadership.
Collins' campaign has not directly responded to the Democratic debate, though her team has emphasized her independence from party orthodoxy on issues like abortion access and some Trump nominees.
What the Numbers Show
Prediction market Kalshi currently lists Jackson as the frontrunner with a 74% chance of winning the nomination. Bellows sits at 13%, Shah at 11%. The remaining five candidates combine for roughly 2% probability, suggesting traders see the race as essentially between three contenders.
The 601 delegates who will decide the nominee are party activists and officials rather than voters in a primary election. This format favors candidates with established relationships within the Democratic Party apparatus—historically benefiting establishment figures over insurgent candidates.
Collins won her last Senate election in 2020 with 51% of the vote, suggesting Maine remains competitive despite national trends favoring Democrats in federal races during some cycles.
The Bottom Line
Maine's unusual nomination process places significant power in a small group of party insiders rather than the broader electorate. Jackson's union background and legislative experience appear to resonate with delegates, though Bellows' statewide name recognition as Secretary of State gives her a structural advantage.
The winner will face Collins in November's general election. The incumbent has won seven consecutive Senate elections, making Maine one of the most durable Republican senators in the country despite the state's Democratic lean in presidential races.
Delegates are scheduled to make their selection in the coming days. The eventual nominee will need to unite a party that showed internal divisions with Platner's nomination collapse while appealing to Maine's swing voters who have supported Collins for three decades.