BIDDEFORD, Maine — The Dropkick Murphys paid tribute to Maine Senate nominee Troy Jackson on Friday night with a rendition of their most famous Celtic punk rock song, singing that “Troy’s shipping up to D.C.” to a crowd of supporters.
The song, a riff on the Massachusetts-based band’s “I’m Shipping Up To Boston,” was part of a union-sponsored event for Jackson, the Democrat challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in Maine.
Lead vocalist Ken Casey introduced himself as part of “America’s premier anti-Trump, anti-billionaire rock ‘n’ roll band” and played to the audience in Biddeford, where the AFL-CIO hosted the event at a riverside event space.
“What’s not to love about Maine?” he said. “My God, I’m going to tell you something. Don’t tell the other states, but you’re the only other state I even like in New England besides Massachusetts.”
The set list was interspersed with foul-mouthed commentary, with Casey singing that Jackson was going to “boot Susan Collins’s a** home.” He also teased Jackson’s Allagash accent before paying him a compliment for his union background.
“I can’t understand a word the f***ing guy says,” Casey said in his own thick Boston accent, drawing laughter from the crowd.
“But then again, I can’t understand half those rednecks down south,” he added. “At least this guy is the real deal, walking his talk, and it’s great — we need more union members in Congress, that’s for damn sure.”
One member of the audience yelled that Jackson is a logger.
“F*** yeah. He’s a wicked logger,” Casey replied.
The event marks the latest attempt to energize voters in one of the marquee Senate races of the 2026 election. Jackson, a former leader of the state Senate, was chosen to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee after Platner was the subject of repeated scandals, including a rape allegation that ended his campaign. Platner denies the allegation.
The open question is whether Jackson, who is mild-mannered by comparison, can bring the same level of enthusiasm that Platner inspired in the primary.
The Dropkick Murphys visited Maine a week after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stumped for Jackson. On Saturday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) will join him on the campaign trail. Both are progressive senators with loyal followings on the Left.
Jackson gave short remarks before welcoming the Dropkick Murphys onstage, telling attendees that he has a “real shot” at defeating Collins and that his campaign was about “taking our government back.”
MAINE SENATE DEBATE GETS TESTY AS TROY JACKSON TELLS COLLINS TO ‘SHUT UP’: TOP TAKEAWAYS
“They want us to think that we’re powerless,” Jackson said. “They want us to think like there’s no hope. It’s desperate. You can’t do anything. But when we come together, we have great, great power.”
The latest polls show a margin-of-error race, with Jackson narrowly in the lead.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
