Poll shows Troy Jackson ahead of Susan Collins in Maine Senate race

A University of New Hampshire poll released this week indicates that former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson holds a narrow lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, with 49% of respondents favoring Jackson and 46% supporting Collins in a hypothetical general-election matchup. The three-point margin is just beyond the poll’s stated margin of error.

Jackson is among four candidates who have qualified for the Democratic state convention scheduled for Saturday. He entered the event as the frontrunner after securing the backing of a large majority of delegates chosen in recent county caucuses. Maine Beer Company owner Dan Kleban, who had been running, withdrew from the race and endorsed Jackson.

The contest for Maine’s Senate seat is attracting national attention, with a Fox News Political Power Rankings report listing the state as one of four Senate toss-up races that could influence control of the chamber. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the U.S. Senate; Democrats would need to gain four seats to claim a majority, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tie-breaking vote if the Senate were evenly split.