The story so far
- Jackson Leads Collins in Final Maine Senate Poll7 sources
- Jackson Defeats Collins to Flip Maine Senate SeatYou are hereLatest
Updated 11m ago · Politics
Jackson Defeats Collins to Flip Maine Senate Seat
Democrat Troy Jackson unseated Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine on Tuesday. Collins, first elected in 1996, conceded by phone.
- 52.7% for Jackson, 47.2% for Collins, with about two-thirds counted.
- 101 days: Jackson's campaign after replacing nominee Graham Platner in July.
- $26.9 million raised by Jackson in three months; Collins raised $22.5 million.
- Nearly $200 million in ads made Maine the costliest race per capita.
Why it matters: Collins had won Maine repeatedly despite its Democratic lean, beating polls in 2020. This year, Trump's low approval in the state weighed on her bid.
- 58% of Maine likely voters disapproved of Trump, per Marist.
- Collins leaves as the longest-serving Republican woman in Senate history.
How 34 sources split on this story
Source landscape
Factuality
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Political Bias
Coverage by lean
34 sources · 38 articles · 41% Left coverage
Where they split: Coverage differs on what decided the race: Jackson's argument that Collins enabled Trump, or a national environment some right-leaning outlets called a blue wave.
Center coverage, 8 sources: The center sees a volatile race won by a late replacement candidate amid sharp debates over tariffs and Trump.
PBS NewsHour17mWATCH: Democrat Troy Jackson speaks after Maine Sen. Susan Collins concedesUSA Today2hJackson wins Senate race, ending Collins' Maine reign | OpinionAxios2hDemocrat Troy Jackson unseats Susan Collins in Maine Senate raceBloomberg2hMaine Democrat Troy Jackson Ousts Five-Term Senator CollinsNewsweek2hTroy Jackson Beats Susan Collins, Ousting Maine GOP VeteranNPR1hTroy Jackson wins Maine Senate race over Susan Collins, in major coup for DemocratsThe Hill1hJackson ousts Collins in Maine Senate flipThe National Desk1hTroy Jackson declares victory in Maine Senate race as Senator Susan Collins concedes
Left coverage, 14 sources: The left sees a working-class challenger who tied Collins to Trump and padded a new Democratic majority.
NBC News1hTroy Jackson defeats GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, padding Democrats’ majorityBoston.com1hMaine Sen. Susan Collins concedes to Democrat Troy Jackson, ending her run for a sixth termAlterNet2hSusan Collins concedes Maine Senate race to Troy JacksonCBS News1hTroy Jackson wins Maine 2026 Senate election, flipping seat for DemocratsMediaite2hTroy Jackson Wins Senate Seat in Maine, Dethroning Incumbent Susan Collins After Rollercoaster RaceMother Jones2hTroy Jackson wins Maine Senate seat after tumultuous campaignMSNBC1hTroy Jackson defeats Susan Collins in Maine, ending her 30-year Senate careerPolitical Wire1dTroy Jackson Tops 50% in MaineRaw Story2hSusan Collins concedes after nearly 30 years as Democrats storm the SenateThe Boston Globe1hMaine's Susan Collins defeated by Troy Jackson in Senate raceThe New Republic2hGood Riddance to Susan CollinsTime2hMaine Senator Susan Collins Concedes to Democrat Troy JacksonVanity Fair1hMaine Senator Susan Collins Has Reportedly Conceded Race to Democratic Challenger Troy JacksonVox2hThe two issues that finally brought down Susan Collins
Right coverage, 12 sources: The right sees an upset loss for a veteran Republican to a second-choice Democrat during a broad wave against the GOP.
New York Post2hRepublican Susan Collins falls in Maine stunner to Graham Platner swap-in Troy JacksonDaily Mail2hDemocrat Troy Jackson ousts longtime Republican Susan Collins in stunning Maine Senate upsetFox News2hGOP senator's 30-year reign ends as 5th-generation logger pulls off stunning upsetJust the News7hMaine GOP Sen Susan Collins loses bid for sixth termNTD47mJackson Defeats Collins in Maine Senate RaceThe Daily Signal47mMaine Gets New Senate Leadership as Jackson Overthrows CollinsThe Daily Wire7hEnd Of An Era: Susan Collins Concedes Defeat In MaineThe Epoch Times7hJackson Defeats Collins in Maine Senate RaceThe Gateway Pundit2hBREAKING: Another Senate Seat Flips! Susan Collins Unseated by Democrat Troy Jackson in Maine Senate Race * The Gateway Pundit * by Cristina LailaTownhall7hSusan Collins Couldn't Survive This Midterm CycleWashington Examiner1hTroy Jackson defeats Susan Collins in MaineWashington Free Beacon2hThe Family Business Goes Federal: Troy Jackson Wins Maine Senate Race, Giving Lobbyist Son New Opportunity
What’s next: Jackson, a former logger and state Senate president, will join the Senate in January.
- Remaining ballots were still being counted when networks projected the result.
- How much of Jackson's margin came from anti-Trump sentiment versus his own appeal?
- Will Jackson's positions, such as Medicare for All, shape how he votes in a narrow Senate?
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