Maine Senate race tightens as Democrat Troy Jackson challenges incumbent Susan Collins

Senator Susan Collins, 73, is running for a sixth term in the U.S. Senate representing Maine, a state that has voted for Democratic presidential candidates in every election since 1992. Collins, who has cultivated a moderate reputation and highlighted her seniority on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said, "To be effective in the Senate, you need knowledge, experience, seniority and relationships. That combination has allowed me to pass bipartisan legislation," during her first debate with Democratic opponent Troy Jackson.

Jackson, a former Maine Senate president and labor-movement organizer, is centering his campaign on Collins’s 2018 vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the Supreme Court’s subsequent overturning of federal abortion protections. He argued that the vote shows Mainers cannot rely on Collins to safeguard their rights, even though abortion remains legal under state law. Jackson told supporters, "She doesn’t regret that vote. Most everyone I know does," and later clarified that he meant Collins would have been mistaken to assume the outcome was predetermined.

The contest is being shaped by concerns over the cost of living and the perceived impact of President Donald Trump’s second term on Maine, including higher prices from tariffs and unpopular immigration enforcement measures. Polls indicate a narrow margin between the candidates, and Democratic strategists say the race could hinge on whether women who have previously split their tickets for Collins will remain with the party.

Both campaigns have highlighted their records. Collins pointed to federal funding secured for Maine projects and her work to remove road-salt from Canadian tariff lists, while Jackson emphasized his advocacy for working-class voters and his opposition to Trump-era policies. After the debate, Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry said Jackson had put Collins on the defensive, noting, "Statistics don’t fill your fuel tank. Statistics don’t make your grocery bill not $200."

The race also features outside spending, with groups such as Planned Parenthood Votes running advertisements focused on abortion rights. A spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned that Jackson’s leadership has hurt affordability and education in the state, while a Collins campaign representative asserted that the senator is running to serve Maine rather than to oppose President Trump.

Voters in Maine, known for an independent streak, will decide in November whether Collins retains her seat or Jackson secures a victory for the Democratic Party.