In the first of several debates, Republican Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, agreed that life is too expensive for Mainers. They disagreed on pretty much everything else.
“If you look at the policies that have driven up the cost of living in Maine, you have to look at Augusta,” Collins said, referencing the state’s capital where Jackson served as state Senate president.
“What we’re seeing right now with affordability issues is because of Sen. Collins not being willing to stand up to Donald Trump,” Jackson responded.
That back-and-forth on affordability between the two spanned questions on housing, health care, socialism, fraud, Iran and even a recently revealed FBI investigation that looked at Collins and her office.
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Collins, who is seeking her sixth term in office, touted her independence and her success as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Democrats picked Jackson as their nominee this summer to replace Graham Platner, who dropped out after he was accused of rape.
The Cook Political Report considers the race a toss-up, though Collins has repeatedly defied political trends in winning five terms in Maine even as Republicans, including Trump, have become politically unpopular in the state.
Political committees associated with Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC have disclosed spending in every major battleground Senate race so far — besides Maine.
“I don’t think that President Trump is going to come to Maine,” Collins said in response to a question from the moderator about a possible visit. “I’m not exactly his favorite senator.”
The two candidates will meet three more times in the coming weeks.
A testy point Tuesday revolved around a recent ProPublica report that said the FBI had investigated claims against Collins for a pay-to-play bribery scheme with a defense contractor based on the detailed confession of the former CEO of the company. The government did not bring charges against Collins or her associates. On Tuesday, Jackson raised that reporting as fodder that Collins was unconcerned with affordability.
“[The Trump] administration dismantled the investigation,” Jackson said. “Now she votes for Donald Trump 96% of the time. I don’t owe Trump. I don’t owe the billionaires nothing.”
Collins called the accusations “completely false” and “very offensive.” She separately pushed that she’s an independent voice in Congress, saying, “I voted against my party more than any other senator on either side of the aisle.”
The candidates also repeatedly clashed over Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Collins did not ultimately vote for, although Jackson pointed out that she voted for an earlier procedural motion to advance it.
Collins said that advancing the bill helped her include provisions like the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, which she called “so important to the state of Maine.”
Jackson retorted by calling Collins “an arsonist who helped set the fire, and then she wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put it out.”