Collins, Jackson spar over Trump ties, fuel prices in final Maine Senate debate

Race could determine Senate control as Collins seeks sixth term

Maine’s two U.S. Senate candidates, Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson, met Thursday for their fourth and final debate ahead of November’s midterm elections, tangling over President Trump’s agenda, high fuel costs and the U.S. Supreme Court in a race rated among the most competitive in the nation. Collins is seeking her sixth term as the lone Republican senator running in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris carried in the 2024 presidential election. Jackson is a former state Senate president who became the Democratic nominee in an unusual state convention this summer following the implosion of Graham Platner’s candidacy.

The outcome could play a major role in determining which party controls the chamber next year, and the four debates have repeatedly tested whether Collins can continue to cast herself as an independent-minded centrist while remaining a member of the Senate Republican conference.

In each of the four debates, including Thursday night’s event, Jackson argued that Collins has voted too frequently to help Trump’s agenda, citing her support for a procedural motion to advance the president’s 2025 tax-and-spending package and accusing her of failing to push back against a president who remains unpopular in the state. Collins said Jackson’s contention that she has voted with Trump roughly 95% of the time is vastly overstated and cited a study saying she votes with the president 72% of the time, calling herself a bipartisan figure within the Senate. Collins also distanced herself from Trump during the debates, saying she had opposed the president on tariffs on Canada, immigration and the war with Iran, and telling the audience in the first debate that she was “not exactly his favorite senator.”

Throughout the campaign, Collins has emphasized her chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee, saying she has secured more than $1.5 billion in funding for Maine during her current term. She also questioned Jackson’s effectiveness in the state capital, noting that several of his initiatives were blocked by Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, and former Gov. Paul LePage, a Republican. Collins said of Jackson on Thursday, “He’s going to be an automatic vote for the Democratic position, no matter what.” Jackson countered that Collins only diverges from the GOP line when it is politically convenient or the outcome does not matter, saying in the third debate, “She will not stand up against Donald Trump.”

The debates frequently turned to affordability, including high fuel prices and the cost of home heating oil as Mainers begin filling their tanks for the winter. Jackson said Trump’s war with Iran was driving higher fuel prices and accused Collins of being complicit in the president’s push for war, a charge she denied. Collins pointed to Jackson’s record in state government, blaming him for higher electric rates resulting from state policies. Collins also highlighted her work easing the burden of Trump’s trade war with Canada, Maine’s neighbor and frequent trade partner, saying she successfully pressed members of the administration to exempt items including pulp, concrete and road salt. Jackson shot back in the first debate, “We can’t eat road salt.”

Collins also defended herself against allegations reported by ProPublica that the FBI had examined her ties to a donor seeking federal contracts. The matter was closed by Trump’s Justice Department, according to the report. Collins called the allegations that she traded federal contracts for campaign donations “completely false” and said during the third debate that Jackson had “insulted my integrity” by raising the allegations.

Abortion and the courts produced another sharp exchange. Jackson criticized Collins for her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, arguing that her support helped lay the foundation for the court’s 2022 decision overturning a federal constitutional right to an abortion. Collins responded that she has crossed party lines to confirm three justices nominated by Democratic presidents — Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Katanji Brown Jackson. Collins, a long-time pro-choice Republican, also pointed to Jackson’s past opposition to abortion rights earlier in his political career, telling him in the second debate, “He was an extremist when it comes to abortion.” Jackson acknowledged his views had shifted after speaking with women but said he had fought to protect reproductive rights in the state. “Our records have changed,” he said. “Mine has gotten better — hers has gotten worse.”

The final debate was interrupted by a young man who shouted at Collins, “AI data centers are destroying our climate.” As security removed the protester, Collins responded, “This is obviously one of Troy’s supporters.” Jackson replied, “Oh, shut up,” and added that he did not “know that kid.” In another exchange, Jackson tried to cast Collins as an elitist, asking her, “Is it just me that you look down on, or is it working class people overall?” Collins responded, “Troy, I do not look down on you or on anyone. I grew up in Caribou. My first job was picking potatoes.”