Susan Collins Faces Troy Jackson Test as GOP Risks Losing New England's Last 1 Senate Seat
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 25
Susan Collins Faces Troy Jackson Test as GOP Risks Losing New England's Last 1 Senate Seat
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 25
Summary
Maine's 2026 Senate race has become a referendum on whether Republicans can still win New England with a centrist candidate, as Democrat Troy Jackson holds a slight polling edge over Susan Collins.
Collins is the only Republican in New England's 12-member Senate delegation and broader 33-member congressional delegation, making her seat the GOP's last federal foothold in a region of more than 15 million people.
Republicans backing Collins argue her bipartisan brand and local presence still fit Maine, while casting Jackson as tied to a Democratic record that critics say drove electricity costs up 70% and the state budget up 50%.
The contrast has sharpened with Collins campaigning alongside former Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and Jackson appearing with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, underscoring a moderation-versus-leftward pull in the race.
A Collins loss would weaken the GOP's Senate map and fuel arguments that centrism no longer works in blue regions; a win would bolster the party's case for keeping moderate Republicans in the post-Trump era.
Will aging grids and soaring electricity costs ultimately force New England to completely overhaul its regional energy strategy?
How can border-state industries survive when international tariffs threaten to dismantle decades of cross-border commerce and supply chains?
Can billion-dollar federal infrastructure investments truly offset the daily financial strain of rising utility and manufacturing costs for local communities?