Troy Jackson Flips Maine Senate Seat, Ousting 5-Term Susan Collins
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Nov 4
Troy Jackson Flips Maine Senate Seat, Ousting 5-Term Susan Collins
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Nov 4
Summary
CBS News projected Democrat Troy Jackson the winner in Maine, defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Democrats' top pickup opportunity and ending the incumbent's reelection bid.
Jackson, 58, overcame a shaky path after Democrats' original nominee withdrew over a sexual-assault allegation, then ran as a working-class champion against Collins, 73.
Abortion and Trump proved central fault lines: Jackson attacked Collins' backing of Brett Kavanaugh and argued she had not gone far enough in opposing the president.
The Maine flip added to a broader Democratic surge as the unpopular Iran war and stubbornly high gas and diesel prices expanded a map that had once favored Republicans.
What happens to a state's federal influence when voters trade decades of appropriations seniority for a voice rooted in organized labor?
How Troy Jackson Defeated Susan Collins: The 2026 Maine Senate Upset That Flipped Senate Control
Overview
In 2026, a historic political shift unfolded in Maine as Democrat Troy Jackson defeated longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins. This upset was fueled by a chain of events: a foreign war disrupted energy supplies, causing gas and heating oil prices to soar and straining household budgets. Combined with lingering anger over Collins’ judicial votes and aggressive Democratic ad campaigns, widespread voter frustration grew. After the original Democratic nominee withdrew, Jackson quickly secured the nomination, rallied union support, and ran a strong grassroots campaign. His victory not only ended Collins’ nearly 30-year Senate career but also helped Democrats reclaim control of Congress and marked the extinction of New England’s moderate Republican tradition.