Troy Jackson, left, and Susan Collins. (Contributed and Press Herald file photos)

Democrat Troy Jackson is “Graham Platner 2.0,” only he embodies many of the bad traits that sank the former oyster farmer’s candidacy for U.S. Senate — and none of the qualities that drew record support in the primary.

Republican Susan Collins is a “rubber stamp” for President Donald Trump, whose judicial appointments are taking rights away from women and whose policies are making life for the working class harder while the rich get richer.

These are the battle lines being drawn in the opening days of the rebooted race for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat — one seen as key to both parties’ chances of controlling the upper chamber following the midterm elections this fall.

The 99-day sprint to Nov. 3 began in earnest this week, now that Democrats have chosen a new nominee in Jackson, a 58-year-old logger and former Maine Senate president from Allagash. And the candidates and outside groups are taking to the airwaves to shape the narrative for the next three months.

Jackson became the Democratic nominee last weekend after Platner dropped out of the race. The 41-year-old political outsider, whose populist message drew hundreds to town hall events across the state, quit after a series of controversies culminated in a rape allegation that he denies.

After Jackson was formally nominated in Bangor, Collins’ Republican allies wasted no time in tying Jackson to Platner, noting that the duo campaigned together when Jackson was running for governor and are supporting many of the same progressive policies. Both support Medicaid for All and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, for example.

Maine Republicans quickly dubbed Jackson as “Graham Platner 2.0.”

At a parade in Casco this weekend, Collins, 73, called Jackson “an Augusta insider” and “very much a person who takes a hyperpartisan approach to the issues.”

“It’s disturbing for me to hear Troy say that everything should be free, when in fact it’s going to be middle- and low-income taxpayers who are going to be paying the bill,” Collins told News Center Maine.

Jackson, meanwhile, told reporters at the Democratic nominating convention on Saturday that he plans to focus on Collins’ record of supporting Trump, who is deeply unpopular to a majority of Mainers. He pointed out that Collins has voted with Trump more than 95% of the time, against voters’ wishes here, he said.

“We definitely have the right message,” Jackson said, pointing to his focus on universal healthcare, fair taxation, workers rights and affordability.

Jackson faces a difficult task in defeating Collins, despite running in a cycle believed to favor Democrats. And he’s starting out at a disadvantage, especially in terms of funding.

Jackson’s campaign on Monday announced a $2 million fundraising surge since securing the nomination. It’s an impressive haul, but he trails far behind Collins, who has been fundraising for the last six years and has about $11 million in the bank.

Democrats are also currently being badly outspent by outside groups supporting Republicans.

Republican-aligned groups have already booked nearly three times as much ad time as Democrats, nearly $62 million to $23 million, between now and Election Day, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact.

Two of the largest Republican super PACs seeking to influence voters in Maine, the Senate Leadership Fund and Pine Tree Results PAC, launched ads this week showing Platner and Jackson campaigning together and clasping hands raised in victory.

The move seems aimed at moderate and independent voters — the very ones who sent Collins back to D.C. in 2020. That year, Collins defeated Democrat Sarah Gideon by nine points in the same election that Joe Biden won the state by nine over Trump.

Pine Tree Results PAC’s ad highlights Jackson’s early and continuing support of Platner, even after the latter revealed a tattoo of a Nazi image (Platner said he initially didn’t know of its affiliation and got it covered); after Platner’s trove of controversial Reddit posts were unearthed; and after a national news report about Platner’s intimidating behavior toward women was published.

“Jackson stood with Platner,” says the female narrator over ominous music, as the spot cuts to the two men with arms raised at a rally.

The Senate Leadership Fund, which plans to spend $42 million in Maine, uses similar imagery in its 30-second spot, while adding images of both men wearing baseball caps and standing next to each other.

The attack cites recent national reporting about Jackson’s flashes of anger while serving as president of the Maine Senate for six years. Numerous outlets have highlighted an incident in which Jackson allegedly threw a water bottle during a heated exchange with fellow Democrats.

“A volatile personality, anger issues with women, verbal abuse,” the male narrator says gravely. “It’s not Graham Platner. It’s Troy Jackson.”

Even Trump sought to pile on, calling Jackson “another lunatic” at the White House Correspondents’ dinner on Friday.

Jackson said on Saturday that he’s not surprised by the Republican attacks.

“They’re gonna say whatever they can, obviously, because they’re scared to lose this race,” Jackson told reporters in Bangor. “I do wear my heart on my sleeve.”

Jackson has yet to hit the airwaves, but Democratic-aligned outside groups are hammering Collins for her support of Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018. That appointment led to the end of federal abortion protections under Roe v. Wade in 2022.

They are also hitting her for supporting more than 100 anti-abortion judges.

Other ads hit Collins for opposing a proposed ban on congressional stock trading.

“Thirty years living the Washington, D.C., lifestyle changes people,” said a man identified as David from Windham in a 30-second ad by the progressive group Affordable Maine. “Susan Collins is trying to keep it so senators can get rich playing the stock market. They’re making millions of dollars while we can’t even afford groceries and gas.”

Democrats are also focusing on Collins’ vote to advance Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made tax breaks for the wealthy permanent while slashing billions from the Medicaid program.

But Collins ultimately voted against the bill, which was nevertheless enacted after Vice President JD Vance broke a tie in the Senate. Her stance against the bill is featured in an ad by Collins — a clear attempt by the candidate to distinguish herself from Trump’s signature legislation.

Otherwise, Collins’ campaign is running ads focusing on what it perceives to be their candidate’s strengths, including her ability to bring money home to the state through her role as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committees.

This week, Collins released a new 60-second ad highlighting her experience, including her record of never missing a floor vote.

Staff Writer Rachel Ohm contributed to this story.