MAINE CHANCE

Must-Win Republican Finally Falls in Blue State Payback

Her blue state was seen as one of Democrats’ biggest opportunities to flip a Senate seat.

Democrats pulled off a dramatic victory as Troy Jackson beat longtime Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine.

While Collins was the only Republican Senate incumbent up for reelection in a state Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024, she was seen as the ultimate political survivor.

The 73-year-old senator pulled off what has been impossible for some other Republicans in the age of Trump: avoiding going full MAGA and representing a blue state for years as a Republican. But that ended on Tuesday.

“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Maine in the United States Senate. I’m proud of all I have been able to accomplish for our state and for our country in the past 30 years,” Collins said in a statement in which she shared she had called Jackson to concede and would “work to ensure a smooth transition.”

The Maine Senate race has been a wild rollercoaster ride for Democrats as they mounted a massive campaign to oust Collins.

First, Democratic Party leaders recruited Maine Governor Janet Mills, 78, to run for the Senate only to have her constantly trail political newcomer Graham Platner. In the end, she dropped out of the race, saying she didn’t have the campaign funds to continue, paving the way for Platner to become the nominee.

But then Platner was hit with a series of devastating reports over the summer, including a woman who came forward with an accusation of sexual assault in 2021 during her on-and-off relationship with the Democratic candidate.

It led Democrats who had previously supported Platner to call for him to exit the race. He announced in July that he would step aside, allowing Maine Democrats to pick a new nominee.

In the end, Maine Democrats chose Jackson, the 58-year-old former state Senate president, as their nominee in a hastily put-together state party convention.

While much of the party united behind Jackson, there were still some rumblings, often propelled by Republicans, that the process was similar to when Democrats swapped out Joe Biden for Kamala Harris as their party’s presidential nominee in the presidential election in 2024.

MAIN(E) DEMOCRAT

Dem Star’s Replacement Revealed After Scandalous Exit

Wiktoria Gucia

As the matchup moved forward, polling showed the race consistently tight until mid-October, when it appeared Jackson started to gain a slight edge over Collins.

The Republican Maine senator has been hammered for voting with Republicans on several key issues even while distancing herself at times from Trump. She also remains haunted by her confirmation vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

But Collins has long navigated tricky political waters in a way other Washington politicians could not.

While Democrats surged to victories, winning the presidential race and both chambers of Congress in 2020, Collins, first elected to the Senate in 1996, held onto her seat by nearly 9 points against former Maine speaker Sara Gideon.

Play Video

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Sarah Ewall-WicePolitical Reporter

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.