Full Breakdown
Maine Senate Race Heats Up: Collins vs. Jackson
By Drooid · · How we work
The Contest So Far
Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is seeking a sixth term against Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, former president of the Maine Senate. The race is viewed as pivotal to control of the chamber after the 2026 midterms. Four televised debates have been scheduled; the third took place on October 7 and the final is set for Thursday. Voters are weighing Collins’s seniority and record of directing federal projects to Maine against Jackson’s appeal as a working-class logger and his criticism of Collins’s ties to President Donald Trump.
Background & Context
Collins has served Maine since 1997, steering congressional spending. Since 2021 she has directed more than $1.5 billion to roughly 700 Maine projects, including a $20 million upgrade to Presque Isle International Airport and $3 million for cancer-radiation equipment at Northern Light A.R. Gould Hospital.
Jackson entered the race after the original Democratic nominee, oyster farmer Graham Platner, withdrew on July 8 following sexual-assault allegations. Maine Democrats convened an emergency convention on July 25 and selected Jackson, giving him just over two months to build a statewide campaign.
Official Statements & Responses
Collins defended her record on tariffs, noting, “It wasn’t the Canadians that started this problem; it was the Trump administration.” Jackson mocked her road-salt comment, saying, “We can’t eat road salt.”
Jackson accused Collins and her husband Thomas Daffron of profiting from the war with Iran. Collins called the allegation “absolutely outrageous,” demanded an apology, and denied any wrongdoing.
ProPublica reported an FBI probe into whether defense contractor Navatek gave contributions to a super-PAC supporting Collins in exchange for contracts overseen by the appropriations defense subcommittee. Collins denied misconduct and questioned the credibility of former Navatek CEO Martin Kao.
On-the-Ground Reports
Local voters expressed mixed feelings. Retired professor Liz McCormack (Brunswick) said she voted for Collins in 2020 but now wants to “send a message” by supporting Jackson. A farmer in Fryeburg told Collins he was struggling to make ends meet, underscoring economic anxiety driving turnout.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Polls differ on who leads: Washington Post–Schar School and Marist surveys show Jackson ahead by four points, while the YouGov/CBS poll shows a tie, and a New York Times/Siena/Portland Press Herald poll (Sep 15–22) placed Collins ahead at 49 % to Jackson’s 46 %. Prediction-market odds shifted from a 70 % Jackson advantage in September to about 60 % in early October.
Jackson’s claim that Collins benefits financially from the Iran war remains unsubstantiated; Collins’s denial and lack of evidence from the debate leave the allegation unresolved.
What’s Next
The final debate will be hosted on Thursday at 7 p.m. by the Portland Press Herald and News Center Maine. In-person absentee voting runs through October 29, and the general election is scheduled for November 3. Both campaigns are intensifying outreach to independents and older voters, whose preferences could decide the outcome.
