Story perspectives

AARP Poll Shows Troy Jackson Leads Susan Collins in Maine

By Drooid · Oct 5, 2026, 5:42 PM UTC · How we work

Center

AARP Poll Lead

Democratic nominee Troy Jackson and incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins are contesting Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Recent polls indicate Jackson holds a narrow lead over Collins.
Jackson secured nomination at a July 25 convention after Graham Platner withdrew over a sexual-assault allegation.
The campaign held roughly 50 events, including town halls, from August 1 through mid-September.
An AARP poll of 982 voters (Sept 20-22) showed 50% for Jackson, 47% for Collins.

Left

Boba Tea Backlash

Democratic nominee Troy Jackson and incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins are contesting Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Critics raise doubts about Democrats’ chances, citing backlash over a boba-tea ad and past confrontations.
Two-thirds of voters disapproved former nominee Graham Platner, mirroring President Donald Trump’s disapproval rate.

History

Historical Context

Since Susan Collins won Maine’s Senate seat in 1996, defeating former governor Joseph Brennan, she has secured four re-elections while the state has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988 and has voted Democratic in every presidential race since 1992. The 2026 contest pits Collins, the lone Republican senator in a Trump-lost state, against Democratic former Senate president Troy Jackson after a July 10 nominee withdrawal.

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AARP Poll Lead

Democratic nominee Troy Jackson and incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins are contesting Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Recent polls indicate Jackson holds a narrow lead over Collins.
Jackson secured nomination at a July 25 convention after Graham Platner withdrew over a sexual-assault allegation.
The campaign held roughly 50 events, including town halls, from August 1 through mid-September.
An AARP poll of 982 voters (Sept 20-22) showed 50% for Jackson, 47% for Collins.

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