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Collins Leads Jackson in Maine Senate Race
Confirmed
In Short: Republican Senator Susan Collins has opened a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Troy Jackson in the race for Maine's Senate seat, according to a new poll.
Republican Senator Susan Collins has opened a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Troy Jackson in the race for Maine's Senate seat, according to a new poll.
The Siena College Research Institute poll, conducted between September 28 and October 2, shows Collins leading Jackson 49% to 46% among 619 likely voters.
Jackson had previously led in polls, including a Fox News poll in August where he was ahead 48-46 and a CNN poll in early September where he led 48-45.
The Bangor Daily News reported that Collins' campaign has spent $49.1 million of the $83.8 million in ad reservations since late July, when Jackson entered the race.
During a debate on Maine’s WABI station, the candidates clashed on several key issues, including immigration, healthcare, and energy costs.
Collins defended the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating that it investigates child trafficking and other serious crimes.
Jackson, however, called for the abolition of ICE, arguing that it was merely carrying out former President Donald Trump's agenda.
Collins attempted to distance herself from Trump during the debate, noting that she initially blocked a measure during the first 60 days of a conflict, defending the president's right to conduct short-term military operations.
Jackson accused Collins of falling short during her time in the Senate, while Collins pointed to shared viewpoints on certain issues.
The poll's margin of error is 4.9 points, and another 5% of respondents were undecided.
Both parties are pouring tens of millions of dollars into advertising to sway undecided voters ahead of the election.
The poll was conducted before a ProPublica report on a shelved federal corruption inquiry involving Collins.
What this adds
The new poll marks Collins' best showing in a major public survey of the November race.
The poll's findings contrast with previous polls where Jackson had led by an average of 3 to 4 points.
Background
In a heated Senate debate, Republican incumbent Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson clashed on key issues ahead of the November 3 election in Maine.
In a heated debate, Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed engaged in personal attacks and policy disagreements.
What's confirmed
- In previous polling, Jackson — a former Maine Senate President and Allagash logger who replaced Platner as the party's nominee at a hastily organized special convention — has led Collins by an average of 3 to 4 points.
What's still developing
- The five-term Republican leads 49% to 46% among 619 likely voters polled Sept.
- Maine news, sports, politics, election results, and obituaries Politics Our political journalists are based in the Maine State House and have deep source networks across the partisan spectrum in communities all over the state.
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- Collins’ standing has held up even as President Donald Trump’s has sharply eroded.
- Senate, where Republicans currently have a 53-45 majority.
- Collins led Jackson among men, respondents aged 45 to 64, white and Black respondents, pollsters said.
- Collins, a moderate, is the only Republican senator running for reelection this year in a Democratic-led state that Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election.
- “Let us not forget the important work that ICE does, which means it should be reformed and not abolished as Troy said. It investigates child trafficking – human trafficking in general – child xploitation, drug smuggling, international cratels, financial scams. It recently shut down, helped shut down, a child pornography ring in the state of Maine,” she said.
- However, Jackson voiced his support of abolishing the agency, which he said was “just doing Donald Trump’s bidding,” and turning its responsibilities to other existing federal agencies.
- “If he goes to Maine, the chances of Susan Collins winning plummets,” Cusack said Tuesday on CNN’s Laura Coates Live.
- “He’s talking about going to a lot of different states,” Collins said.
- Kao told the FBI that Collins’ office steered millions in Navy research money to his company while her campaign and an allied super PAC sought his donations.