Zoom: Jackson and his allies spent the campaign portraying Collins as beholden to President Trump, whose approval ratings have fallen to historic lows this year amid persistent inflation and an unpopular war in Iran.
- Collins has tried to distance herself from Trump, saying during a debate that she was “not exactly his favorite senator” and boasting that she often voted against his agenda.
- A pro-Collins ad called her “the most bipartisan senator in America” in one ad.
- But that branding, which proved effective in Collins’ previous campaigns, found its limits this year when Democrats and left-leaning independents went to the polls to send a message to Trump.
Jackson, a former state senator, became the Democratic nominee at the last minute after an explosive turn of events over the summer.
- Graham Platner, a former state senator who won the primary, dropped out after an ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault. (Platner denies the allegations.)
- This left Jackson with only 101 days to mount a campaign.
During the election campaign, Jackson railed against billionaires and highlighted his humble beginnings as a lumberjack and the son of teenage parents.
- He also attacked Collins over his vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his subsequent role in overturning Roe v. Wade, who ended the nation’s right to abortion.
The other side: The Republicans’ campaign against Jackson became personal at times when they highlighted the fact that his longtime partner is his first cousin.
- They also described Jackson as a hothead, pointing to reports that he threw a water bottle across the room during an argument with a female lawmaker.
- Jackson apologized for the incident at the time, but his campaign denied physically intimidating or intimidating anyone.
Zoom out: Jackson is poised to become one of the Senate’s most progressive members.
- He supports Medicare for All, is an ally of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and has invited New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to campaign with him.
What’s next: With Collins, 73, almost certainly leaving the political scene, Republicans wouldn’t be able to seriously challenge his old seat anytime soon.
- Maine is a largely blue state, and former Vice President Kamala Harris won it by nearly 7 percentage points in 2024.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional developments.
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