October 9, 2026, 8:14 a.m. ET
The Democrat running for Maine Senate has a slight advantage over the Republican incumbent who has served for nearly 30 years, another sign of Democrats’ strength in their bid to take control of the chamber in the Nov. 3 election.
Fifty percent of likely voters support Troy Jackson, compared to 46 percent for Sen. Susan Collins, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll. The poll was conducted from September 30 to October 5 and has a margin of error of 3.6 percent.
The poll is by no means a death sentence for Collins, who outperformed pollsters in 2020 and is respected for her deep understanding of Maine voters, but shows that even a moderate Republican is at risk in a year when voters are increasingly siding with Democrats.
Jackson, the former Maine Senate president, joined the race in July after the previous Democratic candidate, Graham Platner, resigned after facing rape allegations.
Backed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Jackson is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federalizing abortion rights.
Collins, who first won the seat in 1996, highlights his bipartisan record in the Senate. During Trump’s two terms, she has often been a decisive moderate vote on controversial issues, striking a balance between concern on the issues and maintaining support from Maine voters.
Collins currently serves as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, which helps decide how to spend government money. The same poll found that 54 percent of likely voters thought she would do a better job bringing funds back to the district.
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