Is Troy Jackson Maine's new main man?
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Have you ever been so upset that you can't even think straight? When we're distressed and in high anxiety, we tend to breathe from our chest, which is actually more hyperventilating and is the opposite of relaxing. So we want to breathe from our belly area.
This week on the Life Kit podcast, tips for those painful, stressful moments. Listen to Life Kit on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Democrats' dreams of retaking the Senate this fall now likely rest on the shoulders of a fifth-generation logger named Troy Jackson. Who? Today on the show, let's make the main thing the main thing. It's the NPR Politics Podcast. I'm Miles Parks. I cover voting.
I'm Melina Moore. I cover politics. I liked that pun.
I was going to say, I like that you liked that. That was our producer, Casey Morrell. I was a little skeptical, but I kind of dug it, too.
I don't know. I'm a bad, you know, audience because I'm sleepy.
Well, I'm sure Maine Public Statehouse correspondent Kevin Miller, who joins us now from Augusta, has probably heard the Maine pun many, many times. Hi, Kevin.
I'm doing well. I've heard a couple of puns over the year, but that was pretty good.
OK. All right. We'll take it. Well, I want to get right into it, Kevin. I am going to level with you. I personally had never heard of Troy Jackson before a couple of weeks ago, but he is now the Democratic nominee for the Senate in Maine. And here he is talking to supporters.
I know many of you poured your hearts into building this movement way before I ever entered this race. But the hope that you built is Never belonged to any one campaign.
Jackson is replacing Graham Plattner, who dropped out after allegations of rape and other misconduct. Plattner has denied those allegations. But Kevin, what can you tell us about this new candidate, Troy Jackson?
Yes, I've been covering Troy for about 20 years, and he's an interesting character. He is a logger from far northern Maine, as you mentioned, and we're talking literally just across the river from Canada. He was a state lawmaker for 20 years and served as the president of the Maine Senate for about six of those years. And then he ran for the Democratic nomination for governor just last month. But I think one of the unique things about Troy is how he got into politics. And this comes up in his story all the time. He tells it. Back in the late 90s, he led a group of loggers in a protest where they actually blockaded border crossings with Canada. And he says he ran for the state legislature because he was so frustrated and angry that the politicians down in the statehouse in Augusta
weren't listening to workers. And, you know, he's kind of been pushing these workers' rights issues as well as these populist issues ever since. So he's kind of this very blue-collar progressive candidate.
Yeah, it's interesting. In some ways, obviously, that sounds very similar to the sort of brand that Grant Platner was pushing before he dropped out of this race. But I feel like one big difference between Jackson and Platner is just the fact that he has worked in politics for a lot longer. And that has meant that we've seen his sort of politics change over the years. Right.
Yeah, he has. I mean, he's a known quantity up here, at least in Democratic politics in Maine. I'd say one area where his stance has changed is on abortion. And this came up during the run for governor. It's come up in the past. He told me just a few years ago that abortion is not an easy issue for him personally. He was raised Catholic. He voted early on in his political career. for bills that would put additional restrictions or requirements on women who are seeking an abortion. But he says now that he believes those decisions should be made by women and their doctors, not by politicians. And as Senate president, he actually helped pass bills that expanded access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
So that's kind of one example. But I would also say that even though he's held the second highest elected position in Maine, he hasn't always had good relations with the Democratic establishment, if you will.
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–4:43
2
Who is Troy Jackson and what is his political background?
4:43–9:27
3
How did Troy Jackson first get involved in Maine politics and labor protests?
9:27–14:47
4
How have Troy Jackson's policy positions, especially on abortion, evolved over time?
14:47–24:12