U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson faced off in a televised debate on Tuesday, sparring over a wide range of topics, including President Donald Trump, high prices and corruption allegations.
It was the first of four debates scheduled for the next two weeks.
Independent polling shows a tight race. Jackson, a 59-year-old former logger and state Senate president, holds a two-point lead over the 73-year-old Collins, according to polling averages from FiftyPlusOne.
But a Marist poll released on Tuesday had Jackson up, 51% to 47%, with only 1% undecided. The Democrat’s four-point lead was just outside of the margin of error of +/- 3.8 percentage points.
Here are a few takeaways from the high-stakes showdown.
1. The candidates blamed each other for the high cost of living
The high costs of living — especially gasoline and home heating prices — have repeatedly been cited by voters as their top concern leading up to the midterms.
So it’s no surprise that Jackson and Collins tried to blame each other for the situation.
Jackson, perhaps, had the easiest line of attack. Throughout the night, Jackson repeatedly tied Collins to Trump and his unpopular policies and actions, including tariffs, the war with Iran and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, which cut healthcare and other safety net programs and gave tax breaks the the wealthy.
Collins, however, pushed back, saying for example that Jackson was cherry-picking one analysis showing she voted with Trump more than 95% of the time. Other analyses showed a much lower rate, she said, noting that she’s not close with the president.
She then raised the issue of high property taxes and electricity rates, saying “those are all due to Augusta’s failed policies under the failed leadership of Troy Jackson,” who served six years as Senate president.
2. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was in the spotlight.
Jackson repeatedly blamed Collins for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made permanent tax cuts for the wealthy while making deep cuts to healthcare and safety net programs.
Collins voted to advance the Republican bill to the Senate floor, but voted against enacting it.
Jackson used Collins’ vote advancing the measure to cast her as being on the side of billionaires.
“Senator Collins has had 30 years to show whose side she’s on,” he said. “I don’t owe Donald Trump or the billionaires anything. I don’t fight for billionaires like she does. I owe Mainers everything, and that’s who I’m gonna be fighting for when I’m the next U.S. senator.”
Collins criticized Jackson for distorting her record. She said she only voted to advance the bill so she could help author an amendment inserting a $50 billion fund to help rural hospitals. She said she voted against the final measure’s enactment because of the Medicaid cuts it contained. But the bill passed after Vice President JD Vance cast a tiebreaking vote.
Jackson said that reasoning wasn’t good enough.
“Sen. Collins is like an arsonist who helps set the fire and then she wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put it out,” he said.
3. The candidates accused each other of corruption.
Collins has been under fire for nearly two weeks since ProPublica published a report detailing allegations that she was leveraging her role on the appropriations committee to solicit political donations. The outlet reported the FBI was gearing up for an investigation into Collins’ circle until Trump returned to office in 2025 and disbanded certain anti-corruption units.
Collins defended herself Tuesday, pointing out that she had advocated for a project involving the defense contractor Navatek at the urging of the University of Maine — not at the urging of a donor.
Collins then accused Jackson of corruption, raising questions about a mortgage he signed and reimbursements he got while serving in the Legislature.
Jackson said he signed a mortgage document stating that his second home in Augusta would be his primary residence — which he said he was advised to do since he would spent more than half of the year there.
But a home in Allagash remained his permanent residence as defined by the state law. Jackson said he would travel there every weekend from Augusta, leading to his expense reimbursements.
4. Jackson was aggressive. Collins was knowledgeable.
Throughout the debate, Collins displayed her experience and knowledge of federal policies. She repeatedly called out Jackson for suggesting her committee had authority over things it does not, such as Medicaid rates.
Jackson, meanwhile, was relentless in going after Collins’ record. He criticized her for supporting Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court and for standing behind that vote after the court overturned the federal abortion protections under Roe v. Wade.
And he continued to hammer Collins for voting to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and for supporting Trump’s agenda, despite Collins’ efforts to highlight instances where she has broken with the president — such as her moves to push back against his tariffs and against his administration’s efforts to cut medical research funding.