Decision Desk HQ projects that Maine Democrat replacement nominee Troy Jackson is the winner in the Maine Senate race, flipping the seat that has been held for nearly 30 years by Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who has defied the odds in the past by winning despite what the polls said in the run-ups to the previous two elections.

With approximately 86 percent of the vote counted, Jackson holds a 53.5 to 45.2 percent lead.

Collins was initially set to face off against DSA-backed Graham Platner, the Democrats' initial pick to be the nominee despite a Nazi tattoo scandal, and revelations from his own wife that he sexted with multiple women after the two got married a few years ago. Misogynistic and racist Reddit posts from Platner also didn't initially scare Maine Dems away, nor did allegations of domestic abuse from a former girlfriend. 

It was only when another former girlfriend stepped forward with allegations of sexual assault after he became the nominee that the party leaders in the state reluctantly agreed with national Democrats that it was best he not be the person to face Collins in the general election amid the battle for control of the Senate.

After Platner begrudgingly stepped aside, a nominating convention was held in late July, where Democrat delegates chose Jackson. But soon after, we learned that Jackson had some Platneresque problems of his own when it came to dealing with women, something Republicans had been quick to remind voters of throughout the election cycle.

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It was also something Jackson himself reminded voters of during an October debate against Collins, where he told her to "shut up" as the cameras rolled. When asked about it a few days later, he refused to apologize or express regret, claiming Collins was trying to "talk down" to him.