Susan Collins’s political luck may finally face its toughest test in Maine
A difficult Senate path
Democrats are favored to win the House, but taking control of the Senate is harder. Maine is one possible route, where Collins faces Jackson, a former president of the state Senate.
Collins first ran for the Senate in 1996 and pledged to serve two terms. Three decades later, she remains in office as Maine has become more Democratic.
Collins’s record in Maine
Collins has emphasized her role in securing federal money for projects in Maine. Her Senate website maps funding she says she helped obtain as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The projects include hospitals, bridges, affordable housing, public transportation and water systems. Whether that record can outweigh voters’ frustration with Trump is a central question in the campaign.
Trump’s impact on voters
Washington Post reporter Dan Merica described anger toward Trump among the Maine voters he has spoken with. He said the state has felt the effects of Trump’s policies and statements, including his attacks on Canada and suggestion that it could become the 51st state.
Merica said the dispute has hurt tourism because Canadians vacation in Maine. He also said tariffs have affected lumber businesses that send wood to Canada for processing before it returns to the United States.
A race shaped by party tensions
The Democratic contest also reflected anti-establishment energy in the party, Merica said. Graham Platner, an oysterman who entered politics, became a prominent figure, while the sitting Democratic governor did not win the primary to challenge Collins.
Platner later ended his campaign amid sexual assault allegations against him. In Biddeford, where Merica was reporting, a shooting involving an individual and ICE had also become an issue in the race.
Key points
- Susan Collins is seeking reelection against Democrat Troy Jackson in Maine.
- Collins has promoted projects she says she helped fund across the state.
- Merica said Trump’s Canada dispute and tariffs have affected Maine tourism and lumber.
- Graham Platner ended his campaign amid sexual assault allegations.