Jackson holds slight lead over Collins in Maine Senate race survey

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) trails Democratic challenger Troy Jackson in her bid for a sixth term, with less than a month until the midterm elections.

A new Washington Post-Schar School poll found Jackson, a former Maine Senate president, leading Collins 50 percent to 46 percent among Maine voters.

The closely watched contest could play a major role in determining control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-seat majority. Collins is the only Republican senator seeking reelection this year in a state that backed former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Jackson secured the Democratic nomination after Graham Platner withdrew from the race in July following numerous scandals, including sexual assault allegations, which he denied.

The survey, which was conducted from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, points to challenges for the Republican as she seeks to distance herself from President Trump, whose approval rating stands at just 36 percent among Maine voters.

Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they believed Collins was too supportive of Trump in the Senate, and 51 percent viewed the five-term incumbent unfavorably. Meanwhile, 43 percent held an unfavorable view of Jackson.

Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, has emphasized her ability to secure federal funding for Maine and work across party lines in an effort to attract independent voters.

Voters gave the 30-year Senate veteran a 24-point advantage over Jackson on bringing federal dollars to the state and also preferred her approach to bipartisanship.

“To be effective in the Senate, you need knowledge, experience, seniority and relationships,” Collins said during a debate with Jackson. “That combination has allowed me to pass bipartisan legislation.”

Jackson, meanwhile, held an advantage on several issues important to voters, including the economy, healthcare, abortion and government corruption.

Affordability emerged as the leading concern among Maine voters, with 63 percent describing home energy and utility costs as unaffordable and 62 percent saying the same about gasoline prices amid the Iran war. More than half also said groceries and healthcare were unaffordable.

Collins has sought to portray Jackson, who has the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), as too liberal for Maine, pointing to his support for Medicare for All while simultaneously calling out his previous opposition to abortion rights during his legislative career.