Former Maine Senate Speaker and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate from the state, Troy Jackson, confirmed that he would not support any U.S. military aid to Israel if elected, considering that the Israeli government is “committing genocide in Gaza.”
Jackson, a former union activist seeking to run for the Democratic nomination after Graham Plattner suspended his campaign following sexual assault allegations, said, “Anyone with eyes and a heart knows that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza,” adding, “This must stop, and we as Americans have the power to end it,” according to Common Dreams.
He added in a post on the “X” platform: “When I get to the US Senate, I will never vote in favor of providing military aid to Israel funded by American taxpayers.”
Jackson had announced his candidacy with a platform focused on progressive issues, such as providing universal healthcare, confronting the influence of big corporations, and building a “strong working-class movement,” but his initial announcement made no mention of the war in Gaza, before he explicitly stated his position following reports of the death of a Palestinian aid worker in an Israeli raid.
Jackson's stance comes at a time when Democratic candidates in Maine hold differing views on the war in Gaza. Dr. Nirav Shah, who came in second in the gubernatorial primary, declared the events in Gaza to be "genocide," supported a complete arms embargo on Israel, and pledged not to accept any campaign contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
For her part, Maine Secretary of State Sheena Pelose has not announced a clear position on continued US support for Israel, although she previously called during her 2014 Senate campaign for a significant reduction in defense spending and the redirection of funds to domestic projects.
Our Revolution, which announced its support for Jackson, praised his stance, saying that he “calls genocide by its name and affirms that he will not vote to fund it with taxpayer money, which is the position chosen by Maine voters.”
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