Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins conceded her longtime Senate seat to Democratic challenger Troy Jackson on Tuesday night, ending a nearly 30-year tenure.
Collins, once considered a political unicorn for her ability to win in a Democratic-leaning state, could not overcome a challenging political environment. She was the only Republican senator up for reelection in a state President Donald Trump lost in 2024. A late October poll from Marist indicated only 42 percent of likely Maine voters approved of the president's performance, with 58 percent disapproving. A previous Fox News poll in August found more than half of Mainers felt Collins voted with Trump too often.
While Collins had previously broken with Trump on key votes, including convicting him after January 6 and opposing his Canadian tariffs, she struggled to address concerns about rising costs. In the Marist poll, 46 percent of likely Maine voters reported their family finances had worsened over the past year, and the cost of living emerged as the top issue for Mainers in the final Times/Siena poll, with 51 percent trusting Jackson on the issue compared to 44 percent for Collins.
Collins's standing had slipped in polls in the months leading up to the election. A September Times/Siena survey showed her leading by three points, but the latest poll had Jackson ahead 51 to 45. Her favorability rating also declined during that period.
Two other significant issues shaped the race. Abortion rights, while less prominent nationally than in previous cycles, played a substantial role in Maine. Planned Parenthood made its largest ad buy of the 2026 cycle targeting Collins, and a Senate Democratic-aligned super PAC dedicated 70 percent of its spending in Maine to abortion-related ads. Democrats emphasized Collins's pivotal vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, arguing it revealed her stance on reproductive rights, despite her self-identification as pro-choice. A Planned Parenthood ad featured a former Collins voter pledging not to "make the same mistake twice."
Healthcare costs also emerged as a key concern. Despite Collins voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which aimed to cut Medicaid spending, she had supported the package moving to the Senate floor. Critics argued that a rural healthcare fund included in the bill did not offset the estimated $137 billion to be stripped from rural healthcare systems by the Medicaid cuts. Troy Jackson contended during an October debate that Collins was "like an arsonist who helped set the fire, and then she wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put it out."
Concerns extended beyond Medicaid recipients, as employer healthcare plans were projected to rise by over 8 percent, with the average American worker paying more than $600 extra for a family plan this year compared to 2025, according to a KFF annual employer survey. An AARP Maine poll in October found that 80 percent of voters aged 50 and older considered healthcare costs a factor in their vote.