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<\/figure>\n\nTroy Jackson <\/b>has a tough road ahead.<\/p>\n
He ran for governor in Maine and lost<\/a>. He wholeheartedly supported<\/a> Graham Platner<\/b>, who ended his campaign<\/a> after a woman he previously dated accused him of sexual assault. And now Jackson, after romping through the state\u2019s hastily organized nomination process to pick a Platner replacement, is the presumptive nominee<\/a> to take on Sen. Susan Collins<\/b> (R) in November.<\/p>\n Republicans were already preparing to spend tens of millions of dollars lambasting Platner this year<\/a>. And that money now turns to Jackson, who has been a staple of Maine politics for years and, as we reported exclusively on Monday<\/a>, led the state Senate with an intensity that often veered into behavior that people working in Maine politics at the time characterized as bullying.<\/p>\n Here is what I reported with Liz Goodwin<\/b>, Alexei Koseff <\/b>and Myla S. Roundy<\/b>:<\/p>\n Jackson declined to speak with me about his temperament and clashes. BJ McCollister<\/b>, a campaign adviser, acknowledged \u201cmoments when he let his frustration get the better of him,\u201d but said Jackson took responsibility and apologized when it happened. \u201cTroy regrets the moments when disagreements became too heated,\u201d McCollister said, \u201cbut passion for the issues he advocates for should not be confused with physical intimidation or bullying.\u201d<\/p>\n But the politics of this for Jackson could get complicated.<\/p>\n Republicans were reluctant to comment on their strategy against Jackson before the nominee is officially selected, but we picked up some pretty strong hints that private controversies and scandals will be among the targets.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoever Maine\u2019s closed-door convention officially coronates as Graham Platner\u2019s successor will carry his socialist, tax-and-spend mantle and campaign in the shadow of his scandals,\u201d said Bernadette Breslin<\/b>, national press secretary for Senate Republicans\u2019 campaign arm.<\/p>\n Jackson\u2019s conflicts were often with women, and he is slated to face Collins, whose repeated path to reelection in the consistently blue state has been appealing to independent and left-leaning women who otherwise would not vote for a Republican.<\/p>\n Jackson\u2019s campaign was quick to note that the reason many of Jackson\u2019s clashes were with women was because of the sheer number of women in Maine\u2019s political leadership. At the end of Jackson\u2019s time running the state Senate, the five other top leaders of the state House and Senate were women, as was the governor, Democrat Janet Mills<\/b>. They noted that Jackson also had plenty of heated disagreements with men, and said disputes with women leaders did not mean he treated them any differently.<\/p>\n That likely won\u2019t stop Republicans from using this trend \u2014 which was somewhat of an open secret in Maine for years \u2014 against Jackson in November.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for Collins declined to comment.<\/p>\n What struck us in reporting this piece is how Jackson seemingly tried to get ahead of it by talking about his \u201cpassion\u201d as a strength, not a weakness.<\/p>\n \u201cPower does not give working people anything out of the goodness of their heart \u2026 Sometimes, you have to make the people in charge so uncomfortable that they can\u2019t ignore you anymore,\u201d Jackson said during an event last week. \u201cAnd that\u2019s something I actually have become pretty good at,\u201d he added, drawing a somewhat knowing laughter from the crowd.<\/p>\n In a conversation with reporters after the event, Jackson told our colleague Karen Tumulty<\/b> and others that \u201cpeople know \u2026 I wear my heart on my sleeve\u201d and that he is \u201cpassionate about the issues.\u201d But, he added, there \u201cisn\u2019t going to be anything\u201d that will come out and sink his campaign.<\/p>\n What we have learned since reporting this story is that it may not sink his campaign, but it could inform how Republicans run against him in the coming months.<\/p>\n We often cover the passage of legislation and the politics of a law. But it\u2019s equally important to cover the law\u2019s implications.<\/p>\n A new report<\/a> from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank, found that more than 4 million people nationwide were dropped from SNAP \u2014 the government food program previously known as food stamps \u2014 from July 2025 through March 2026 due to the passage of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Republicans\u2019 massive tax and spending legislation.<\/p>\n Our colleague Emmanuel Martinez<\/b> wrote about<\/a> how the law made significant cuts to the food program by shifting the cost from the federal government to the states.<\/p>\n The number of people who lost access is staggering when you consider the implications for families in need.<\/p>\n The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said the drop-offs were particularly pronounced in a few states: SNAP participation declined by 53 percent in Arizona, 17 percent in Florida and 16 percent in Louisiana.<\/p> Read more Mamdani says U.S. authorities should arrest Netanyahu as \u2018architect of a horrific genocide\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n The politics of this could be important, too. Arizona is home to a highly competitive governor\u2019s race<\/a>, and multiple competitive House races this November. Florida has a Senate contest and multiple compelling House races.<\/p>\n But the real-world implications are the highlight there. The nonpartisan think tank also found \u201cit\u2019s very likely that nationwide, the number of children receiving SNAP has dropped by more than 1.5 million since July 2025.\u201d<\/sup><\/p>\n Gothamist<\/b>: This is a question I have asked myself, after taking so many taxis and Ubers. Are Waymos actually safer in big cities?<\/a> As the outlet reports, \u201cA new report<\/a> argues Waymo taxis cause \u2018way mo\u2019 fatal crashes and injuries per mile driven than other for-hire vehicles in New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n New Orleans Times-Picayune<\/b>: A tropical storm has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm, named Bertha<\/a>, began hitting the Gulf Coast last night, but the most significant impacts are expected to come today.<\/p>\n Bridge Michigan<\/b>: This is a trend that will need more attention in the coming years \u2014 teens in Michigan (and likely nationwide) are facing a very tough summer job market<\/a> in places like restaurants, movie theaters or retail stores as technology makes competition for entry-level positions far stiffer than it used to be.<\/p>\n You sent in scores of varied responses to our question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu <\/b>and the changes happening inside the Democratic Party around Israel.<\/p>\n Many of you backed New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/b>, who <\/b>recently said there was an \u201cactive conversation\u201d among his staff about whether to arrest <\/b>Netanyahu<\/a> <\/b>when he arrives in September for the U.N. General Assembly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe man is accused (quite credibly) of war crimes. He must be brought to justice. If Bibi doesn\u2019t want to face the music, he best not show up at the dance,\u201d wrote Paul C Baker<\/b>.<\/p>\n \u201cBibi should be arrested, but he won\u2019t for myriad legal reasons protecting heads of state and that the US does not belong to the ICC. It would be a nightmare for Mamdani, so he will offer support and participate in demonstrations against Bibi,\u201d added Jim Prah<\/b>.<\/p>\n And Lou DeNicola<\/b> blamed Netanyahu for the war in Iran, alleging he \u201ctricked Trump into joining Israel in attacking Iran for fear that Iran could build a nuclear weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s put the blame for this war where it deserves. Israel started it. Trump got duped into supporting it and now we are stuck in a situation that is negatively affecting the entire world,\u201d DeNicola wrote. \u201cSTUPID!\u201d<\/p>\n Others complained about the question \u2014 and focusing on how Israel has divided the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n \u201cBy turning this into some horse race \u2018Dems in disarray\u2019 nonsense you fail as both reporters and as political observers,\u201d wrote Drew Hudson<\/b>.<\/p>\n But I would argue it is a fair question given, as we have noted in this newsletter<\/a>, the issue is one of the most contentious in American politics, especially on the left.<\/p>\n And Charles Perso <\/b>was frustrated at how legislators now seemingly only represent their party, not their district.<\/p>\n \u201cWe now have party loyalty and impossible division for our country. We lurch one way and another. Hopefully this division within the Democratic Party means candidates are again representing their constituencies,\u201d Perso concluded.<\/p>\n This newsletter is unapologetically pro-coffee. Early mornings, late nights \u2014 coffee is not optional. Our colleague Anahad O\u2019Connor<\/b> wrote this week that \u201cthe American Heart Association says that it\u2019s fine to drink up to five cups of coffee a day \u2014 and it may even be good for your heart.<\/a>\u201d So we wanted to ask for some advice: What is the best coffee shop you have ever been to? What is your go-to order? Or maybe, how does coffee make your life better? Let us and your fellow Early Brief readers know at earlytips@washpost.com<\/a>.<\/p> Read more House passes bill to fund the government until after midterm elections<\/a><\/p>\n