Susan Collins Concedes Maine Senate Race to Troy Jackson
The five-term Republican senator conceded to Democrat Troy Jackson, a former state Senate president and logger, ending her long run in Washington.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has conceded her reelection race to Democrat Troy Jackson, bringing an end to one of the longest and most closely watched careers in the modern Senate.
The concession
Collins conceded on Wednesday, and the Associated Press called the race for Jackson afterward. The result made Maine one of seven Senate seats that flipped from Republican to Democratic control in Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Collins was seeking a sixth term. She was the only Republican senator representing a state that President Donald Trump lost in 2024, NBC News noted before the election.
Who is Troy Jackson
Jackson is a logger from Allagash in far northern Maine and a former president of the Maine Senate. He became the Democratic nominee at a party convention in July after the original nominee, Graham Platner, withdrew from the race, according to CBS News.
Jackson ran as a progressive with a focus on working families, wages and the cost of living.
A long record
Collins was first elected to the Senate in 1996. She built a reputation as a moderate willing to break with her party on high-profile votes, and she survived difficult races before, including in 2020, when polls showed her trailing and she won comfortably.
This time, the national environment proved too strong. Exit polls showed broad voter concern about grocery and gas prices and disapproval of the Iran war.
What it means
The loss removes one of the few remaining Republican senators from New England and one of the most prominent swing votes in the chamber. Democrats had already secured a Senate majority before the Maine race was called, but Jackson’s win adds to their margin.
A role in key votes
Over nearly three decades, Collins cast pivotal votes on health care, judicial nominations and spending bills. She was a frequent target of lobbying from both parties and served in senior roles on the Appropriations Committee, which writes federal spending bills.
What comes next
Jackson will be sworn in when the new Congress convenes in January. Collins will serve out the remainder of her term through early January.
How we reported this
This report is based on information confirmed by the Associated Press or by at least two major news organizations, as noted in the text. Claims that have not been independently verified are identified as such. BURN VOC will update this story as new information is released.
