Who the Hell is Troy Jackson and Why You Should Care

October 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In October 1998, a 30-year-old logger named Troy Jackson parked his pickup across a border crossing in Quebec to protest Canadian crews cutting Maine timber for less money. An AP photo shows him staring down a state trooper who is about to arrest him. The blockade failed, but it made him a local name. Twenty-six years later, he is the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in Maine, running as a fifth-generation logger who says he isn’t from the right or the left — he’s “from the bottom.” The race is a dead heat. Every poll is inside the margin of error. The Washington Post has Jackson up 50–46; a Fox News poll has them tied at 49–49. The only thing Maine voters agree on, according to a Marist poll, is that 57 percent think Susan Collins will win anyway.

A Serial Party-Switcher Who Became a Progressive

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What you'll learn

1 (00:06) **Episode Introduction & Context** - Ben Shapiro introduces the episode's focus: Troy Jackson, the Democrat running for Senate in Maine, whom he calls a "shape-shifting" candidate who has changed parties and positions repeatedly over 26 years.
2 (03:03) **How Jackson Got on the Ballot** - Shapiro explains the unusual path by which Jackson became the Democratic nominee after the original candidate, Graham Platner, dropped out amid scandal.
3 (05:55) **The State of the Race** - Shapiro reviews polling data showing a dead heat between Jackson and incumbent Republican Susan Collins.
4 (06:25) **Jackson's Origin Story: The Logger Blockade** - Shapiro recounts Jackson's entry into politics, beginning with a 1998 protest where he and other loggers blocked a Canadian border crossing.
5 (07:23) **Jackson's Legislative Career: Power Without Wins** - Shapiro describes Jackson's rise through Maine state politics and his lack of electoral success outside his home county.
6 (09:11) **Issue Evolution: Abortion** - Shapiro details Jackson's dramatic shift from pro-life to pro-choice, using his voting record as evidence.
7 (10:01) **Issue Evolution: Marriage and Guns** - Shapiro notes Jackson's reversals on same-sex marriage and gun control.

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Guests on this episode

Troy Jackson Susan Collins

Show Notes

The Michigan and Texas Senate races have made headlines, but could Maine's Troy Jackson be the biggest surprise of the 2026 midterm elections? Ben Shapiro breaks down the heated Susan Collins vs. Troy Jackson Senate race, Jackson's dramatic political transformation from pro-life, NRA-backed Democrat to Bernie Sanders ally and the scandals surrounding his political career.

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