Democrat Troy Jackson has declared victory over Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, a result that would unseat a 30-year Senate veteran and mark one of the Democratic Party's most sought-after wins of the midterm cycle. The Associated Press had not yet called the race, but Collins had conceded.
Jackson, a logger and former state representative, ran a campaign focused on economic issues, tying Collins to Republican policies he argued were harming Mainers. He emphasized his own background of growing up poor and rising to become president of the state Senate, presenting himself as an advocate for the working class.
Collins, the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate, had previously defied political headwinds. However, some voters who had supported her in the past expressed a feeling that she had become less independent and that the desire to shift congressional control away from Republicans outweighed their loyalty.
In the campaign's final weeks, the race intensified. Jackson faced criticism after telling Collins to "shut up" at a debate, and a super PAC released an ad attacking his personal life. Collins distanced herself from the ad and called for its removal.
Jackson's political career began after he helped lead a blockade against Canadian loggers crossing into Maine for work. He was elected to the state Legislature in 2002 and later served as Senate president, becoming a strong advocate for labor unions. His positions on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights have evolved, and he embraced progressive stances such as supporting Medicare for All during his Senate bid, though he faced challenges explaining the funding mechanism for such a plan.