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Troy Jackson Defeats GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine
Confirmed
In Short: Democrat Troy Jackson has defeated Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, flipping a Republican-held Senate seat and expanding the Democrats' majority.
Democrat Troy Jackson has defeated Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, flipping a Republican-held Senate seat and expanding the Democrats' majority in the Senate. The race was seen as a critical path for Democrats to secure their majority in the midterm elections.
Collins, a five-term senator, was one of the few Republicans left in Congress who voted to convict former President Donald Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. However, her party's bet that she was the only Republican who could hold Maine backfired.
Jackson capitalized on Collins' alignment with Trump, arguing that she had become too closely aligned with the former president, particularly on issues affecting working families. He highlighted her 96% voting record in line with Trump's policies and her support for the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, which expanded the conservative majority.
Collins, known for her ability to bring federal funding to Maine, defended her record in debates. She pointed out that she had secured $1.5 billion for 672 projects across the state over the past five years and had voted against Trump's signature legislative accomplishment to support a $50 billion rural health care fund.
Jackson's campaign focused on Medicaid expansion and healthcare rights, emphasizing his support for a referendum that voters approved in 2017. He argued that Collins had fought for the interests of the billionaire class rather than working families.
The race was closely watched as Maine's political landscape is pivotal for Democrats aiming for a Senate majority, especially in light of Trump's declining popularity. A New York Times/Siena University poll released Sept. 24 found 49% were likely to vote for Collins while 46% were likely to vote for Jackson, and a Fox News poll found 49% favored Jackson compared to 45% for Collins.
Collins' loss marks the end of her nearly 30-year tenure in Congress and makes Jackson the first Democrat to represent Maine in the Senate since 1995. She called to concede the race to Jackson, acknowledging his victory.
Jackson's win underscores the national environment that favored Democrats in the midterm elections, despite Collins being a formidable campaigner and the only Republican incumbent on the ballot from a state that is neither a presidential battleground nor reliably red.
What this adds
Jackson's campaign strategy focused on highlighting Collins' alignment with Trump and her voting record, which he argued favored the interests of the wealthy over working families.
What's confirmed
- Democrats’ difficult path to a Senate majority ran through Maine.
- Democrat Troy Jackson has defeated longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, NBC News projects, padding the Senate majority his party won in the midterm elections.
- “I’ve been able to bring home federal dollars to help ease the burden on our taxpayers,” Collins said.
What's still developing
- Jackson sought to capitalize on and maintain the momentum sparked by Platner's antiestablishment, change-focused message.
- Jackson also said Collins voted to advance Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” which contains about $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts that are unpopular.
- Forty-nine percent of respondents told the outlet's pollsters they favored Jackson, compared to 45% for Collins.
- Respondents tied Collins to her party less than any other Republican running for Senate in the nation, with 46% of respondents saying they believe she would choose her constituents over the Republican Party.