Jackson edges ahead with early Maine caucus delegate lead

Eight Maine counties held caucuses to elect 319 of the 500 delegates for the July nominating convention, with eight counties remaining to vote on Sunday. Troy Jackson entered the day with a commanding lead, capturing 66 of the first 80 delegates in the initial four counties (Kennebec, Hancock, Franklin and Washington), including a 37-of-40 sweep in Kennebec. Many delegate candidates remain uncommitted, so these results measure campaign organization more than final convention votes. National Democrats have largely stayed on the sidelines, and debates around issues such as the recent ICE shooting have influenced the narrative as the party moves toward the 601-person convention in Portland.