Republican Sen. Susan Collins warned that Maine would lose essential federal funding if voters elect her Democratic rival, Troy Jackson, in the upcoming Senate race. Collins made the claim in an interview with Fox News Digital, arguing that her seniority on the Senate Appropriations Committee secures money for the state that would disappear under Jackson's leadership.
The race is statistically tied ahead of the candidates' final debate. A Suffolk University poll conducted from Oct. 8 to 11 showed Jackson edging Collins 49% to 47% among likely voters. The two-point difference falls within the survey's margin of error, consistent with other recent polls indicating an extremely close contest. Leading nonpartisan groups, including the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball, rate the seat as a toss-up.
Collins, who is seeking a sixth term, highlighted her nearly three decades of Senate service and her role as Appropriations Committee chair. She stated that if Jackson replaces her, he would start with zero seniority, causing virtually all targeted federal funding for Maine to go away. Collins cited specific projects she has secured, including $46 million for police and sheriff's departments to upgrade equipment, facilities, and communications.
Jackson, a former Maine Senate president and one-time logger, has argued that Collins has failed to use her power to protect families from high energy, food, and housing costs. He stated that power is meaningless if it is not used when people need it. Democrats have also focused on Collins' relationship with President Donald Trump, whose approval ratings are low in Maine. Jackson argued that voters must choose between a senator who helps Trump and one who stands against him.
The campaign has also targeted Collins over her 2018 vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and her support for Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding. Collins disputed these characterizations, telling Fox News Digital that she has broken with Trump on multiple issues, including his trade war with Canada and his deal with Vladimir Putin regarding diesel imports and sanctions. She also opposed the One Big Beautiful Bill due to Medicaid cuts she believes would harm Maine.
Collins attacked Jackson's ties to Graham Platner, the primary winner who dropped out of the race following a report alleging rape. Platner denied the allegation. Collins noted that Jackson supported Platner until the end of his campaign and did not publicly condemn Platner's comments about law enforcement. She also pointed out that Jackson received an endorsement from the Democratic Socialists of America during his gubernatorial run.
The Jackson campaign responded by stating that Jackson is not a Democratic Socialist and does not support defunding the police. They said he called on Platner to drop out and would not accept a Platner endorsement. The campaign accused Collins of lying about his record, citing her voting history with Trump and her support for Kavanaugh. They noted that Trump's actions have raised energy costs and failed to stop tariffs.
Collins disputed a claim that she voted with Trump 96% of the time, saying that figure came from a study covering only a third of her votes. She cited a study covering 90% of votes that showed she supported the president 72% of the time. Collins said she supports Trump when she thinks he is right and opposes him when she thinks he is wrong.
Collins is the only Republican senator seeking re-election in a state that Trump lost in the 2024 election. She previously survived a challenge from Sara Gideon in 2018, winning by nearly nine points while President Joe Biden carried the state by a similar margin.