The Maine chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is considering whether to endorse former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson as he seeks the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.

Jackson is expected to meet with Maine DSA members on Monday for a question-and-answer session as the organization considers an endorsement petition related to the U.S. Senate contest.

The meeting does not mean Jackson has already received the organization’s support in the race.

Maine DSA previously endorsed Jackson during his campaign for governor. Jackson ultimately lost that contest and is now seeking the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate following Graham Platner’s withdrawal from the race.

A new endorsement would be required before Jackson could accurately be described as the DSA-backed candidate in the Senate contest.

Should Maine DSA endorse Jackson, and should he go on to secure the Democratic nomination and defeat Collins in November, he could become the first candidate formally backed by the socialist organization to win election to the U.S. Senate.

That would not necessarily make him the first DSA member elected to the chamber. An endorsement does not establish that a candidate is a dues-paying or formal member of the organization.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders became the first self-described socialist elected to the U.S. Senate in 2006. Sanders is an independent who caucuses with Democrats and has maintained close ties to the broader democratic socialist movement, but he is not generally identified as a DSA officeholder.

What Is the DSA?

The Democratic Socialists of America is a national socialist political organization, but it is not a separate political party and does not maintain its own nationwide ballot line.

Instead, its members and endorsed candidates generally compete in Democratic primaries and appear on general-election ballots as Democrats.

The organization says it seeks to shift economic and political power away from corporations and wealthy individuals and toward workers. Its priorities include Medicare for All, stronger labor unions, expanded public ownership, subsidized higher education, increased taxes on corporations and wealthy Americans, and greater government involvement in housing and energy.

The DSA’s positions frequently place it to the left of the Democratic Party’s national leadership, even as the organization attempts to exercise influence through Democratic elections.

Critics view the organization as a force pushing Democrats toward socialism and greater government control over the economy. Supporters describe it as a working-class movement intended to challenge corporate power and economic inequality.

A Growing Political Organization

The DSA was founded in 1982 following the merger of two socialist organizations. It remained relatively small for decades and held limited influence in national elections.

That began to change during Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, which helped introduce democratic socialism to younger progressive voters.

The organization had approximately 6,000 members before Sanders’ presidential campaign. Its membership expanded rapidly following the 2016 election and as DSA-backed candidates began winning local, state and federal offices.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the organization’s most recognizable national figure after defeating a senior Democratic incumbent in a 2018 primary. Other prominent DSA-aligned members of Congress have included Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee.

The organization has also invested heavily in state legislative and municipal races, supporting candidates for city councils, school boards and other local offices.

That growth has given the DSA greater influence in Democratic primaries, particularly in urban districts and contests in which a small but organized group of activists can affect the outcome.

Jackson Seeks Progressive Support

Jackson, a logger from Allagash, has long emphasized his working-class background and close relationship with organized labor.

He served in both chambers of the Maine Legislature and eventually became president of the Maine Senate. Jackson has frequently criticized corporations, wealthy political donors and policies that he says have harmed rural and working-class Mainers.

Those positions helped him earn Maine DSA’s support during his gubernatorial campaign and could make him an attractive candidate to the organization in the Senate contest.

Jackson is competing against a crowded field that includes Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Nirav Shah, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban and several other candidates.

County Democratic committees met over the weekend to select delegates ahead of the party’s emergency nominating convention.

A total of 601 delegates are expected to gather Saturday, July 25, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor to choose a replacement nominee. The unusual convention process became necessary after Platner withdrew following allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied.

The eventual Democratic nominee will face Collins in November in a race that could help determine control of the U.S. Senate.

An endorsement from Maine DSA could provide Jackson with organized volunteers and credibility among progressive delegates who previously supported Platner.

It could also give Collins and other Republicans an opportunity to tie Jackson more closely to the socialist movement and portray him as outside Maine’s political mainstream.

For now, however, Maine DSA is considering Jackson’s candidacy. The organization supported him in his unsuccessful race for governor, but it has not yet endorsed him for the U.S. Senate.