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Troy Jackson Defeats Susan Collins in Maine Senate Race
· Confirmed
In Short: In a surprising upset, Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine's Senate race.
Troy Jackson, a Democrat, defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine's Senate race, according to projections by NBC News and other outlets. Collins conceded the race to Jackson shortly after polls closed, marking the end of her 30-year tenure in the Senate.
Collins, who was first elected in 1996, had been running for a sixth term. She was the only Republican incumbent on the ballot this year from a state that is neither a presidential battleground nor reliably red.
Jackson led Collins by 52.6 percent to 47.3 percent with 67 percent of the vote counted, according to Breitbart. This result came despite Collins' formidable campaigning and her previous success in the state, where polls had underestimated her support in the past.
Jackson, a former Maine Senate president, entered the race after Graham Platner withdrew following allegations of sexual assault. Jackson argued that Collins had become too closely aligned with the Trump administration, particularly on issues affecting working families.
Collins emphasized her effectiveness in the Senate, noting that she had secured $1.5 billion for 672 projects all over the state of Maine during the past five years. However, Jackson criticized Collins for her alignment with Trump and her support for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Jackson led by 4 points in a CNN/SSRS poll, 49 percent to 45 percent, among 783 likely voters in October, according to Newsweek. He also led Collins by about 5 percent in the race, with 68 percent of the vote counted.
Money poured in on both sides, with Jackson raising $26.9 million in barely three months against $22.5 million raised by Collins over the full cycle, according to federal filings through October 14, as reported by the Daily Mail.
In her concession call to Jackson, Collins said, 'It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Maine in the United States Senate. I’m proud of all I have been able to accomplish for our state and for our country in the past 30 years. I called Troy Jackson tonight to congratulate him and to assure him that my staff and I will work to ensure a smooth transition,' according to Punch Bowl News senior congressional reporter Andrew Desiderio.
Jackson's campaign focused on Collins' alignment with Trump, noting that she votes with him 96% of the time and that she has been fighting for the billionaire class.
Jackson also emphasized the importance of abortion rights, stating that not having access to abortion care could hold people back economically.
Jackson's win marks a significant shift in Maine's political landscape, with Collins becoming the last GOP senator from New England.
Jackson's victory is expected to expand the Democrats' Senate majority, solidifying their control of the chamber.
What this adds
The sources have not established the exact reasons for the shift in voter sentiment, but Jackson's campaign focused on Collins' alignment with Trump and her support for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
What's confirmed
- “It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Maine in the United States Senate. I’m proud of all I have been able to accomplish for our state and for our country in the past 30 years. I called Troy Jackson tonight to congratulate him and to assure him that my staff and I will work to ensure a smooth transition,” Collins said, according to Punch Bowl News senior congressional reporter Andrew Desiderio.
- RELATED STORY | 2026 midterm election results: Key races for Senate, House and governor A spokesperson for Troy Jackson said Collins called to concede the Senate race.
What's still developing
- Collins is one of the few Republicans left in Congress who voted to convict Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
- Yet Democrats’ handling of the race gave Collins, a formidable campaigner, openings, even in a national environment that favored the party out of power.
- Collins, 73, questioned Jackson's effectiveness as a legislator, while she touted the influence in the Senate that she has wielded for Maine's benefit.
- Jackson faced off against Collins, who was the sole Republican incumbent seeking reelection in a state Kamala Harris won in 2024, making the race Democrats' clearest pickup opportunity.
- A Suffolk University poll gave Jackson a 2-point lead, 49 percent to 47 percent.