Maine Senate candidate Troy Jackson’s greatest political asset may be that he’s boring

I didn’t sleep well Monday night, but in the couple of hours I did, I dreamed I was in Portland, Maine, riding around in a car I could fold up while I searched inside of a mall for a bathroom to use. Needless to say, when I woke up, I had no trouble finding my own bathroom.All of this is to say that while I watched MS NOW’s Morning Joe bleary-eyed on Tuesday morning, I was almost put to sleep with Joe and Mika’s extended interview with Maine Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson.And almost dozing off listening to him speak made me very happy. I also noticed the irony of Maine in my previous night’s dream.In an era of showmanship, rousing political speak and twisted explanations, where changing one's mind turns into a fatal weakness, Jackson offers a rare example of political and personal humility. So much so that he seems almost put off by the spotlight.Raised Catholic in a socially conservative, rural logging district, Jackson entered politics with deeply traditional views. Yet as he prepares to challenge Sen. Susan Collins this November, his greatest asset isn't a claim to lifelong ideological purity; it's that striking modesty, manifested in a rare willingness to stand before the public, look back at his early career, and simply say: I was wrong.Related: For Sen. Susan Collins, is it a case of ‘Wake Up Little Susie,’ or is she more like Susie from Seinfeld?Jackson's evolution on queer rights mirrors his transformation on reproductive freedom. In 2009, he cast what he now calls his "worst vote ever," standing as the lone Democrat in the Maine legislature to oppose legalizing same-sex marriage.Around that same time, his record on abortion was similarly restrictive. He earned high marks from Maine Right to Life, backed a "fetal personhood" bill, and by his own account held views he now describes as mistaken.For many politicians, a past like that would raise doubts for someone who has come around to the other side. The record is usually something to sp