Collins And Jackson Clash In First Of Four Debates In $400M Senate Race

Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson met on October 6 in the first of four scheduled debates in a Maine Senate race on track to draw roughly $400 million in spending, according to an analysis by The Boston Globe.

The Globe reported the race was tied heading into the hour-long televised debate, and that a Marist College poll released hours earlier found only 1 percent of likely Maine voters undecided, though other surveys suggest support for both candidates is soft.

Health care and trade produced the sharpest exchanges. Collins cited her work with the administration to get road salt removed from tariffs on Canadian goods as evidence of her effectiveness; Jackson responded that Mainers "cannot eat road salt." Collins, 73, said she went without health insurance for a year while running for governor in 1994, a remark the Globe said could be used against her in advertising.

Collins countered that Jackson was unaware of a Senate-passed housing measure limiting private equity real estate purchases that she voted for. The Globe also noted Jackson repeated an inaccurate claim that Collins voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill.

The next debate is set for October 8.

This story was first reported by The Boston Globe.