Opinion

DAVID MARCUS: In blue Maine, nobody believes Susan Collins will lose until they see it

Polls give Jackson a slight lead, yet Democrats and Republicans alike express deep loyalty to the three-decade incumbent

By David Marcus Fox News

Published October 23, 2026 1:23pm EDT

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Maine voters reveal why Susan Collins could defy the polls in crucial Senate showdown

Maine voters weigh in on Susan Collins' re-election bid against Troy Jackson, revealing why the longtime Republican senator's personal connections could prove decisive.

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There are two elements of the Senate race in Maine that truly stand out on the ground. One is that this is a small state, at least in terms of population. The other is that Susan Collins has been a senator here for three decades. The upshot is that almost everyone I've met here has met her.

Philip, a lifelong Mainer in his 70s from Bangor, told me in an accent straight out of "Murder, She Wrote": "It would be stupid, in my opinion, not to vote for Susan, she's chairman of the appropriations committee, and she's brought a lot of money to the state," adding, "we've got new fire stations in every little town you can think of."

The appreciation for Collins among ordinary Mainers represents the daunting uphill battle Democrat Troy Jackson faces in a race where polls give him a slight lead, but the word on the street has him dead in the water.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, on July 24, 2025. Collins has been a senator for three decades. (J. Scott........

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