Democrat Troy Jackson unseats Susan Collins in Maine Senate race
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Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson speaks at a campaign event on Nov. 2 in South Portland, Maine. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images
Maine Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Sen. Susan Collins, AP projects, toppling a nearly 30-year Republican incumbent famous for defying political gravity.
Why it matters: Democrats recaptured the Senate, and they succeeded in taking down a political white whale.
Zoom in: Jackson and his allies spent the campaign painting Collins as beholden to President Trump, whose approval rating has sunk to historic lows this year amid persistent inflation and an unpopular war in Iran.
- Collins attempted to distance herself from Trump, saying at a debate that she's "not exactly his favorite senator" and boasting that she often voted against his agenda.
- A pro-Collins ad called her "America's most bipartisan senator" in an ad.
- But that branding, which had proven successful in Collins' past campaigns, found its limit this year as Democrats and left-leaning independents came out to the polls to send a message to Trump.
Jackson, a former state senator, became the Democratic nominee at the last minute after an explosive turn of events over the summer.
- Graham Platner, a former state senator who had won the primary, dropped out after an ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault. (Platner denies the allegations.)
- That left Jackson with only 101 days to mount a campaign.
On the campaign trail, Jackson has railed against billionaires and highlighted his humble beginnings as a logger and son of teenage parents.
- He also attacked Collins over her vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his subsequent role in overturning Roe v. Wade, which ended national abortion rights.
The other side: Republicans' campaign against Jackson turned personal at times as they highlighted the fact that his longtime partner is his second cousin.
- They also portrayed Jackson as a hothead, pointing to news reports about him allegedly throwing a water bottle across the room during an argument with a female legislator.
- Jackson apologized for the incident at the time, but his campaign denied that he physically intimidated or bullied anyone.
Zoom out: Jackson is set to be one of the Senate's most progressive members.
- He supports Medicare for All, is an ally of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and invited New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to campaign with him.
What's next: With Collins, 73, almost certainly exiting the political scene, Republicans may not seriously contest her old seat anytime soon.
- Maine is a largely blue state, and former Vice President Kamala Harris won it by nearly 7 percentage points in 2024.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional developments.
