Come for Heather Cox Richardson, stay for Troy Jackson | Letter
Kennebunk resident backs Troy Jackson after meeting with former Senator Heather Cox Richardson in Portland
Kennebunk, Maine – A letter to the editor published in the Portland Press Herald on March 22, 2026 saw local resident Lisa Eaton express enthusiastic support for Democrat Troy Jackson, the current Maine Senate President who is running for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
Eaton wrote that she had flown to Portland to attend a public conversation between former Republican U.S. Senator Heather Cox Richardson—now a Democrat—and Jackson. “I went to Portland to see Heather Cox Richardson in conversation with Troy Jackson,” she told the paper, adding that she had come mainly to see Richardson. “Troy was the price I had to pay to see her.”
The letter details how, although Eaton had no strong allegiance to Jackson before the event, the meeting helped her see his character and policy priorities. “At first, Troy seemed slightly starstruck and stumbled a bit in the presence of Richardson,” she wrote. “Who wouldn’t be starstruck? Thankfully, she is generous with whomever she shares the stage or microphone. He warmed quickly and found firm ground.”
Eaton described Jackson as “not shiny or sparkly,” preferring politicians who are more grounded. “Instead, Troy is a piece of beautiful hardwood with a warm patina,” she said. She noted that once he loosened up, she sensed a “genuine Maine charm” in his straight‑talk style, especially on issues that mattered to her: “Medicaid and Medicare for all; affordable, quality childcare with childcare workers who earn a living wage, an education system that pays teachers and teaches students and an end to the war in Iran.”
Eaton concluded that after the event she was “excited to vote Jackson for senator” and had come away “forgetting that HCR had been there.” The letter underscores a growing support for the Democratic challenger in the 2026 U.S. Senate race.
The Portland Press Herald’s editorial staff confirmed that the letter was submitted by Lisa Eaton of Kennebunk and published as part of its series on the upcoming election.
