Susan Collins and Troy Jackson clash over Trump and seniority in Maine’s first Senate debate
Senator Susan Collins and challenger Troy Jackson held their first debate in Maine, focusing on the influence of Donald Trump, economic issues, and abortion. Jackson sought to link Collins to the former president, while Collins emphasized her seniority and ability to secure federal funding.
Why it matters
This race is a key battleground for control of the U.S. Senate, highlighting the tension between local incumbency and national political polarization.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson debated for the first time Tuesday in Maine, trading attacks over President Donald Trump, the cost of living and abortion in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. Maine is central to Democrats’ path to the Senate majority as they try to capitalize on Trump’s unpopularity. Jackson tried to do just that Tuesday by tying Collins to Trump, name-checking him at least 20 times in one hour of debating on WGME-TV. “It matters who you stand with,” Jackson said in his opening statement. “I don’t owe Donald Trump and the billionaires anything. I don’t fight for billionaires like she does.” Collins, meanwhile, emphasized multiple instances when she opposed the Trump administration.
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