Maine upset: Troy Jackson unseats Susan Collins in Senate race

Jackson captured 52.7% of the vote, compared to Collins’ 47.2%, with approximately two-thirds of ballots counted.

Jackson’s emergence as a candidate was unexpected, as he replaced Graham Platner, the original Democratic nominee, who withdrew from the race in July following allegations of rape. Jenny Racicot publicly accused Platner of rape at her Maine home in 2021, leading to his departure and a frantic search for a replacement by the state Democratic Party. Jackson, previously a third-place finisher in the Democratic primary for governor, was ultimately selected on July 25.

Collins, 73, will depart Congress as the longest-serving female Republican senator in history. “It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Maine in the United States Senate. I’m proud of all I have been able to accomplish for our state and for our country in the past 30 years,” she stated.

The race was heavily influenced by Donald Trump, with Collins frequently highlighting her willingness to defy the former president and emphasizing her bipartisan record. Collins stated in a debate that she was “not exactly [Trump’s] favorite senator” and discouraged his campaigning in Maine.

Jackson, a former Republican and fifth-generation logger, criticized Collins’ past votes, including her confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, arguing they enabled Trump’s agenda. Kavanaugh’s involvement in the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade became a central theme in Democratic campaign ads against Collins.

The campaign saw substantial spending, with an estimated $200 million invested in advertising, making it the most expensive per capita Senate race, according to Axios. Republicans spent roughly $96.99 per voting-age resident, while Democrats spent $69.52.

Former Sen. Joe Manchin campaigned with Collins in the final weeks, praising her as “the soul of the Senate.”