Senator Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger Troy Jackson are set to face off in the first of four Maine Senate debates on Tuesday, as polls show a tight race between the two candidates. Maine has emerged as one of the most competitive races in the battle to control the Senate in the November 3 elections. The Pine Tree State leans toward Democrats and voted against President Donald Trump in each of his three runs, but Collins has been able to win by large margins in the past due to her moderate image and personal popularity among Maine voters.
Democrats view Collins as more vulnerable this year as the national environment sours for Republicans amid Trump’s declining approval rating, voter frustration with the economy and soaring gas prices amid the Iran war. Historically, the party in the White House loses seats in the midterms if the president is unpopular, and Democrats believe they can exploit his poor approval to expand the electoral battleground and win in key races, such as the Maine Senate election. The upcoming Maine Senate debate will bring Collins and Jackson face to face as they hope to win over undecided voters in the final weeks of the campaign.
Polls have pointed to a close race, with no clear front-runner. The two candidates are likely to discuss issues including the economy, healthcare and foreign policy, which have been top of mind for Maine voters. Newsweek reached out to the Collins and Jackson campaigns for comment via email.
The first debate is set to be held on October 6 and will be broadcast on local television news station WGME. It is the first of four debates between Jackson and Collins. The second debate will also be held next week, on October 8, and will be hosted by WMTW.
The following week, on October 13, WABI and WAGM will host a debate. Finally, the two will face off on October 15 in a debate hosted by News Center Maine, The Portland Press Herald and Maine Public. The debate will give Collins and Jackson an opportunity to present their differences on a range of issues.
Collins has established a record as a moderate Republican who has broken from her party on several issues, while Jackson, the former president of the Maine Senate, is running as a progressive Democrat. Here is a look at where they stand on five of the most important issues that are likely to come up in the debates. Perhaps no issue has defined the midterms more than the economy, as voters have continued to grapple with high prices.
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