Democrat Troy Jackson has defeated longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins, ending the five-term incumbent’s Senate career and removing the Maine lawmaker from her position as the longest-serving active Republican woman in the chamber.
CNN and NBC projected Jackson as the winner shortly before midnight. With 67 percent of the vote counted, the Associated Press showed Jackson leading Collins, 52 percent to 47 percent.
The result marked one of the most significant defeats of Collins’ political career. Her loss brings an end to nearly 30 years in the Senate and eliminates her chance to become Maine’s longest-serving senator.
Collins conceded in a brief phone call with Jackson soon after the race was called.
Jackson’s win gave Democrats a critical Republican-held seat as a sweeping “blue tsunami” moved across the country.
Republicans began the night with a 53-47 Senate majority. Democrats therefore needed to gain four seats overall to seize control, since Vice President JD Vance would break a 50-50 tie.
Democrats rapidly captured Republican-held seats in North Carolina, South Carolina, Maine, Kansas, Iowa and Texas, producing a devastating night for the GOP.
Collins was the only Republican senator running this year in a state carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, making Maine an early and potentially decisive step in the Democrats’ drive to regain power.
A Republican coalition of super PACs and nonprofit groups spent roughly $126 million on advertising in an unsuccessful effort to return Collins to the Senate.
Democrat Troy Jackson defeated longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins
The five-term Republican suffered one of the biggest defeats of her political career, ending nearly three decades in the Senate and ending her bid to become Maine’s longest-serving senator
In January, Trump wrote that Collins “should never be elected to office again” after she voted to limit the president’s military authority following his successful operation in Venezuela that month.
Collins also broke with Trump on several major votes during his second term. She opposed Pete Hegseth’s confirmation as defense secretary and voted against final passage of his One Big Beautiful Bill.
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Maine voters told Our News Outlet in the week before Election Day that they planned to support Collins, citing their limited familiarity with Jackson.
The logger and state lawmaker was not initially the Democratic Party’s preferred candidate. He entered the contest after primary winner Graham Platner, who received 72 percent of the June vote, withdrew in July amid a sexual assault allegation that he has denied.
Delegates at a Democratic convention in Bangor selected Jackson as the replacement candidate on July 25. That left him with just 101 days to challenge a senator who had defeated every Democratic opponent since 1996.
Jackson had lost the Democratic primary for governor to Hannah Pingree only weeks earlier when party leaders chose him to run as a blue-collar challenger to Collins, whom he accused of enabling Trump.
The campaign grew increasingly bitter in its final days. A Republican super PAC released a radio jingle branding Jackson a “freak” and a “creep,” prompting Collins to say the advertisement should be pulled.
Both campaigns attracted substantial financial support. Jackson raised $26.9 million in barely three months, while Collins collected $22.5 million over the full election cycle, according to federal filings through October 14.
Polling before Election Day showed a highly competitive contest. Marist had Jackson ahead 49 percent to 47 percent among likely voters, CNN showed him leading 49 percent to 45 percent, and Trafalgar gave Collins a narrow 47 percent to 46.5 percent advantage.
Although the surveys varied, most placed Collins within the margin of error, underscoring how closely contested the race remained.
As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins emphasized her ability to deliver federal funding to Maine. A Washington Post-Schar School poll found that voters gave her a 24-point advantage on that issue.
Collins had previously defied the polls, trailing for much of the 2020 campaign before winning re-election by more than eight percentage points.
Trump, however, proved to be a liability in Maine. Marist found that 58 percent of likely voters disapproved of his performance, while 41 percent said their vote was intended as a message against him.
Collins had previously defied the polls, trailing for much of the 2020 campaign before winning re-election by more than eight percentage points.
Trump, however, proved to be a liability in Maine. Marist found that 58 percent of likely voters disapproved of his performance, while 41 percent said their vote was intended as a message against him.
