Democrat Troy Jackson unseats Republican Susan Collins in Maine Senate race

Democrat Troy Jackson has won the United States Senate race in Maine, unseating five-term Republican incumbent Susan Collins. The Guardian and the Washington Examiner reported that Collins called Jackson to concede the race on Tuesday night. The Daily Mail reported that CNN and NBC called the contest for Jackson around midnight. [1][4][7][8]

With 67 percent of the vote counted, the Associated Press reported that Jackson held 52 percent of the vote compared to 47 percent for Collins, according to the Daily Mail. Collins, who has represented Maine in the Senate since 1997, lost the seat after almost 30 years in office, the Daily Mail, MSNBC, and the BBC reported. MSNBC noted that Collins was the last Republican senator from New England. [4][5][9]

The Guardian reported that Jackson, 58, ran a closely fought race shaped by clashes over living costs in the state. PBS NewsHour added that Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and former state Senate president, had little more than 100 days to campaign after replacing Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee in July. As FTMQ News reported earlier, high heating costs and debates had featured heavily in the campaign. [1][6][15][16]

Jackson previously served in the Maine Senate representing northern Aroostook County and served as state Senate president and majority leader. The victory gives Democrats a major pickup opportunity in the 2026 midterm elections, the Guardian and the Washington Examiner reported. [1][7][12]