Candidate
Democrat
Troy Jackson
Former Maine Senate president · logger
Allagash logger and former Maine Senate president focused on universal health care, working-family tax relief and stronger federal rights.
Maine Senate · 2026 · Candidate comparison
Troy Jackson vs. Susan Collins
A former state Senate president and a five-term incumbent meet in a race over health care, economic power, reproductive rights, and Washington's direction.
At a glance
The candidates in this race.
VS
Candidate
Republican
Susan Collins
U.S. Senator · Maine · since 1997
A five-term U.S. senator and current chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, first elected to the Senate in 1996.
Where they stand
Where they differ.
Jackson
Medicare for All and lower prescription-drug costs.
01
How should health care work?
Collins
Lower prescription-drug costs and expand rural health-care access.
Jackson
Tax billionaires and corporations more, while cutting taxes for working people.
02
Who should have more power in the economy?
Collins
Invest in workforce training, small businesses, tax relief, and trade policy.
Jackson
Establish a federal statutory right to abortion.
03
What is the reproductive-rights position?
Collins
Her record includes the Kavanaugh confirmation vote, followed by public disagreement with Dobbs.
Jackson
His campaign foregrounds working-class economic rights, democratic participation, and a reduced immigration-enforcement footprint.
04
What role should Maine play in national security?
Collins
Increase defense investment, including support for Maine shipbuilding and related employers.
Policy priorities.
Troy Jackson
DemocratPass Medicare for All
Supports Medicare for All and lower prescription-drug costs as federal health-care priorities.
Shift taxes toward the wealthy
Would raise the tax contribution of billionaires and corporations while cutting taxes for working families.
Abolish federal immigration enforcement agency
Calls for dismantling and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a federal policy priority.
Protect federal abortion access
Supports establishing a federal right to abortion to protect reproductive choice throughout the country.
Protect voting and organizing rights
Supports the right to vote and organize for all Americans, alongside comprehensive LGBTQ civil-rights protections.
Ban congressional stock trading
Supports banning stock trading by members of Congress and overturning Citizens United to curb dark money.
Susan Collins
RepublicanHealth care
Highlights lowering prescription-drug costs and expanding rural health-care access.
Energy & environment
Supports reducing emissions while promoting clean-energy jobs and managing energy costs.
Jobs & small business
Emphasizes workforce training, small-business support, tax relief, and trade policy.
Defense
Prioritizes defense investment, including support for Maine shipbuilding and related employers.
The backgrounds
Public careers.
Troy Jackson
2019
Helped fund local hunger relief
Sponsored enacted legislation providing $1 million for the Mainers Feeding Mainers farm-and-food-bank partnership.
Fifth-generation Maine logger
Worked in the woods cutting timber, driving trucks and operating logging equipment.
Maine state legislator
Served in Maine's legislature, representing his northern Maine community.
Maine Senate president
Led the Maine Senate as its president during six years of his legislative career.
Susan Collins
1996
First Senate election
Was first elected to the U.S. Senate.
1997
Began Senate service
Began serving as Maine's U.S. senator.
2020
Fifth Senate term
Won a fifth Senate term.
2025
Appropriations Committee chair
Became chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The record.
Troy Jackson
DemocratDocumented outcome
2021 conduct incident and apology
Reporting describes Jackson throwing a plastic water bottle during a heated 2021 meeting about prescription-drug pricing. His campaign acknowledged the throw, said it was not directed at anyone, and reporting says he apologized to colleagues.
Why it matters: An acknowledged conduct incident and apology, not an ethics or criminal finding.
Documented outcome
Residency complaint ended without an investigation
A Republican lawmaker alleged Jackson gave a false address after buying an Augusta home while representing Allagash. Jackson said it was temporary legislative housing.
Why it matters: The Maine Ethics Commission voted 5–0 to take no further action.
Policy choice
Changed positions on abortion and same-sex marriage
The Associated Press reported that early in his political career Jackson opposed abortion and same-sex marriage; he has since reversed both positions.
Why it matters: A documented evolution in policy views, not misconduct.
Susan Collins
RepublicanPolicy choice
Kavanaugh vote remains central to the abortion debate
Collins voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, has said she does not regret the vote, and later said she disagreed with Dobbs. Kavanaugh joined the majority that overturned the federal abortion-rights precedent.
Why it matters: A confirmation vote with a subsequent Supreme Court outcome; Collins herself did not decide Dobbs.
Documented outcome
First Trump impeachment acquittal
Collins voted to acquit Trump in his first impeachment trial in 2020, while calling his Ukraine conduct 'very poor judgment.' In the separate 2021 trial after January 6, she voted to convict him.
Why it matters: Two distinct recorded impeachment votes, with different outcomes.
Documented outcome
Trump-alignment score reflects a largely shared voting record
CQ Roll Call's analysis found Collins supported Trump's position in 94.6% of scored 2025 votes.
Why it matters: The metric covers a subset of votes and does not weight importance; PolitiFact notes prominent breaks, including her vote against Trump's 2025 tax-and-spending bill.
Sources.
- 01Troy Jackson campaign - priorities
- 02Troy Jackson official campaign
- 03Maine Senate - enacted hunger-relief legislation
- 04Troy Jackson campaign - biography
- 05Bangor Daily News - Jackson's legislative conduct incident
- 06Maine Ethics Commission - October 2023 meeting
- 07Associated Press - Troy Jackson background
- 08Senator Susan Collins - official biography
- 09Senator Susan Collins - health care
- 10Senator Susan Collins - energy & environment
- 11Senator Susan Collins - jobs & economy
- 12Senator Susan Collins - defense & national security
- 13Senator Collins - Appropriations Committee chair
- 14PolitiFact - Collins, Kavanaugh, and Dobbs
- 15PolitiFact - Collins' Trump voting record
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