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GOP Sen. Susan Collins nudges Trump to stay away from Maine: ‘I’m not exactly his favorite senator’

At the debate, Collins distanced herself from Trump and defended her record while criticizing Jackson’s state leadership.

GOP Sen. Susan Collins nudges Trump to stay away from Maine: ‘I’m not exactly his favorite senator’
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This article1 analysis · Oct 7, 2026
tl;dr

At their first debate of the cycle, Sen. Susan Collins avoided saying whether she would campaign with President Trump in Maine, while Democrat Troy Jackson criticized her record and she attacked his leadership in state government. The exchange highlighted how Trump and state policy are shaping the Senate race.

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VOTING CLOSED
How does this story look for
Susan M. Collins R · ME · SEN
NOT RATEDCLOSED

No good or bad look here

This story reports what happened without casting Collins in a good or bad light, so readers don’t rate it and it doesn’t count toward Collins’s record.

● INFORMATIONAL

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Susan M. Collins
R · ME · SEN

Incumbent Republican senator and candidate in Maine’s Senate race

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Democratic Senate candidate challenging Collins

Jackson's version of this story ↗
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose possible Maine campaign visit and policies were discussed

Kamala Harris
Former U.S. Senator (D-CA)

Former vice president mentioned in connection with Maine’s 2024 presidential result

ALSO MENTIONED  Brett Kavanaugh, Supreme Court justice whose 2018 confirmation vote was raised in the debate

Part of a bigger story

17 OUTLETS
Susan Collins and Troy Jackson Debate in Maine Senate Race

Susan Collins and Troy Jackson faced off in debates in their Maine Senate race, arguing over her record and policy issues. Left-leaning outlets frame the exchanges as liabilities for Collins and, in some coverage, Republicans. Center outlets mostly present competing positions and check claims, alongside a few pieces centered on criticism of Collins. Right-leaning outlets tend to emphasize Collins defending her record, with one portraying her as handling Jackson's attacks effectively.

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