Shenna Bellows exits Maine Senate race as Troy Jackson gains ground
Bellows said she will focus on her secretary of state job while Democrats rush to pick a nominee to face Sen. Susan Collins.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ended her campaign for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate on Sunday, clearing one major rival from the path of former state Senate President Troy Jackson as he builds support ahead of next week’s state convention.
Bellows said in a statement that she would concentrate on her current office rather than continue the Senate bid. “Donald Trump’s attacks on our democracy are only accelerating, and the best way that I can serve our state and country at this moment is by focusing exclusively on my role as Secretary of State,” she said.
Her decision landed as Democrats in York County gathered at a performing arts center to choose delegates for the state convention. NBC News reported that York County Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathie Purdy announced Bellows’ exit as voting began, prompting audible gasps from the crowd.
The convention has taken on sudden weight after Graham Platner, who won the Democratic primary, ended his campaign last week. Platner dropped out after an allegation of sexual assault, which he denied. Democratic delegates will now choose a new nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Jackson’s delegate push
Jackson, a former state lawmaker backed by labor, appears to have seized the early organizing advantage. According to NBC News, delegate slates supporting him won nearly all the available slots in Saturday’s county meetings.
Those delegates are not bound to vote for Jackson at the convention, even if they were elected on his slate. Still, the showing gave Jackson plenty to point to Sunday morning as he rallied supporters outside the York County meeting.
Jackson told reporters that if Sunday went like Saturday, other candidates would drop out and he would be on track for the nomination next week. He also said he had heard from a couple of candidates offering congratulations and suggesting they would likely leave the race before the convention, but he did not identify them.
Bellows did not mention Jackson in her statement.
Other Democrats remain in the mix
Physician Nirav Shah, a former Maine public health official, is also considered a leading contender. Asked by NBC News about Jackson’s remarks, a Shah campaign spokesperson said by text that the campaign would have more to say later.
Bellows, Jackson and Shah all ran in last month’s Democratic primary for governor and lost. Their recent statewide campaigns allowed them to restart political operations quickly for the Senate contest, while Jackson has emphasized that his team focused on organizing delegates for the county meetings.
Jackson may still face a fight at the convention. Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer who is also running for Senate, told NBC News at the York County meeting that he intends to remain in the race.
Wood raised concerns about Jackson’s public support for Platner, saying Republicans could use that connection against Jackson if Democrats nominate him.
The nominee chosen by Democratic delegates will move into a high-profile race against Collins, a Republican incumbent whose seat is a key target in the 2026 Senate fight.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.