“Sen. Collins votes with Trump 96% of the time. The billionaire class is who she’s been fighting for,” Troy Jackson declared during one of the high-stakes debates that defined the final stretch of Maine’s turbulent 2026 Senate race. That populist message carried the day, as the Associated Press projected Jackson had defeated Republican incumbent Susan Collins to claim a U.S. Senate seat for the Democrats.
A 30-Year Senate Career Ends
The result brings Collins’ nearly 30-year congressional tenure to a definitive close.
It also marks the first time a Democrat will represent Maine in the Senate since 1995, delivering a crucial victory for Democrats in their push to win back the Senate majority. For Collins, 73, the defeat ends a remarkable political streak. As the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate, she had repeatedly weathered fierce national political headwinds in a state that reliably backs Democrats in presidential contests.
An Unconventional Path to the Ballot
The path to this moment was anything but conventional.
Jackson, a 58-year-old fifth-generation logger from northern Maine and the former president of the state Senate, stepped into the race as the Democratic nominee in late July 2026. He replaced Graham Platner, who suspended his campaign following an allegation of sexual assault that Platner denies, as CBS News reported. Despite entering the contest late, Jackson inherited and rapidly accelerated an anti-establishment momentum centered on working-class advocacy. Although Jackson lost his bid for governor earlier this year, his deep ties to labor unions helped him capture the Senate nomination. His political roots trace back to 1998, when he helped lead a logger blockade at the northern border to protest the hiring of Canadian workers.
Clashing Records and National Headwinds
Throughout the campaign, Jackson and his allies hammered Collins over her alignment with national Republican policies and Donald Trump, whose approval ratings sat at historic lows. Jackson also campaigned with Sen. Bernie Sanders in the closing weeks of the race.
NBC News noted that Jackson zeroed in on Collins’ support for sweeping tax legislation and her crucial 2018 vote confirming Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh—a decision that paved the way for the high court to eliminate the federal right to abortion in 2022. While Collins defended her record as an independent voice and touted her influence as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee—where she argued she secured $1.5 billion for 672 projects across the state—Jackson countered that her legislative power failed to shield Mainers from broader economic pain. “She’s losing more money than she’s bringing in. We’d be better off,” Jackson said in an October interview with Maine Public Radio. “We’re losing a lot more; our healthcare, Iran war, tariffs.”
Economic Anxiety
The broader national map was reshaped by the unpopular war in Iran and persistently high gas and diesel prices.
A Final Clash in Bangor
During a debate at the Gracie Theatre in Bangor, Collins warned voters that her opponent would offer little room for compromise.
Democrat Troy Jackson is elected to U. S. Senate from Maine, defeating longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins. https://t.co/szC4uBdNpC pic.twitter.com/DPEMWPeU68
“He is going to be an automatic vote for the Democratic position no matter what,” Collins argued, emphasizing the dwindling number of centrists in Washington. She also touted her seniority during a debate, stating, “To be effective in the Senate, you need knowledge, experience, seniority and relationships,” while Jackson argued that Collins’ power had not served Mainers. He concluded his critique of her tenure by stating, “Tonight, Sen. Collins has told us how powerful she is.”
More on Troy Jackson
BREAKING: WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrat Troy Jackson wins election to U. S. Senate from Maine. This is a Democratic flip. Susan Collins is OUT.
