How Troy Jackson went from an anti-abortion Republican to the Democrats’ hope for defeating Susan Collins | CNN Politics

Troy Jackson is on the verge of replacing Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee for Senate in Maine after harnessing the enthusiasm of former Platner supporters who were galvanized by the oyster farmer’s insurgent campaign. There’s just one thing: Jackson is no political outsider. The former Maine Senate Democratic leader has spent over two decades working in state politics, a resume that sets him apart even as Jackson embraces a similar progressive platform and openly appeals to former Platner supporters. Jackson’s allies see the best of both worlds, especially after Maine Democrats took a risk on an outsider in Platner – and were sorely disappointed as his campaign imploded amid an allegation of rape that Platner denies. “Troy’s been around,” said Jason Shedlock, a longtime labor leader in Maine. “If you don’t know him, you know somebody who does. And if you don’t know somebody who does, the person standing next to them has been impacted by him. That’s the difference.” But if Jackson has more political experience than Platner did, he doesn’t have the same oratorical skills and comes with a history of socially conservative stances early in his career,