Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) hedged during a Sunday morning interview, brushing off questions about whether or not Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson had been throughly vetted in the wake of former nominee Graham Platner’s public implosion.
Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sanders praised Jackson’s working-class background and progressive platform but emphasized that he had no role in the process that elevated the former Maine Senate president to the nomination after Platner withdrew. “I was not involved in that process at all,” Sanders said. “As you indicated, they had to move very, very quickly, and I think the Maine Democratic Party did the best they could under difficult circumstances.”
Bernie Sanders doesn’t know if Maine Democrat Troy Jackson was properly vetted.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 2, 2026
NBC: Has Troy Jackson been fully vetted?
SANDERS: I wasn’t involved…
NBC: Will you endorse him?
SANDERS: If he asks me to, I will. pic.twitter.com/EOtF6QNtad
Sanders went on to describe Jackson as “a fifth-generation logger” and a champion for working families, highlighting his support for Medicare for All and protecting Social Security.
But when asked whether he would endorse Jackson, Sanders stopped short of offering an unsolicited endorsement. “If he asks me to, I certainly will,” Sanders replied. The measured response stands in contrast to Sanders’ vigorous support for Platner, the progressive outsider whose campaign became one of the Democratic Party’s highest-profile Senate efforts before collapsing under the weight of several scandals
Before rape allegations ultimately forced Platner off the campaign trail, Sanders had repeatedly defended the then-candidate despite mounting controversies surrounding his campaign. When asked Sunday whether he regretted endorsing Platner, Sanders declined to directly answer.
“There were very serious allegations against Platner,” Sanders said. “As a result of those accusations, I and virtually all of his supporters requested that he withdraw from the race, and he did.”
Bernie Sanders dodges if he regrets supporting accused rapist Graham Platner.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 2, 2026
NBC: Do you regret endorsing Platner?
SANDERS: It’s easy to be a Monday morning quarterback…
NBC: Any regrets?
SANDERS: That's you know...we're looking at a campaign in Michigan and in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/ugC8ig6mqL
When NBC moderator Kristen Welker asked once more if he had any regrets, Sanders did not answer but instead pivoted to broader Democratic politics, arguing that voters are rejecting establishment candidates and increasingly embracing left-wing alternatives. “The people of this country right now are sick and tired of establishment politics and establishment policies,” Sanders said. “They want change, and I and other progressives are going to do everything that we can to bring about those changes.”
Platner’s campaign collapsed after a series of controversies culminated in rape allegations, which he denied before withdrawing from the race. His downfall also prompted scrutiny of the progressive consultants who recruited and promoted his candidacy.
According to Politico, campaign advisers allegedly declined recommendations for additional opposition research after an initial vetting uncovered problematic online posts and suggested further review. The report detailed broader concerns that warning signs surrounding Platner were overlooked as consultants raced to elevate the political newcomer into one of the Democratic Party’s most closely watched Senate candidates.
Jackson was selected as the replacement nominee after Platner exited the race, giving Democrats only days to choose a new standard-bearer in one of the nation’s premier Senate contests. He has since faced scrutiny of his own after a report surfaced that he has two children with his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, who genealogical records indicate is his second cousin. The relationship is legal under Maine law, and Jackson’s campaign has not publicly commented on the reporting.
Jackson will now face incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November as Democrats seek to flip a seat viewed as critical to their hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.
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