Collins, Jackson Spar in 1st of 4 Maine Senate Debates as Trump Puts Incumbent on Defensive
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 7
Collins, Jackson Spar in 1st of 4 Maine Senate Debates as Trump Puts Incumbent on Defensive
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 7
Summary
Tuesday’s first of four Maine Senate debates left Susan Collins defending her record against Troy Jackson’s attacks tying her to President Trump in a race central to Senate control.
Collins tried to show distance from Trump by criticizing his tariffs, calling for more oversight of immigration enforcement and saying, “I am not exactly his favorite senator.”
Jackson, a former state Senate president making his first statewide general-election run, avoided the stumbles Collins may have expected and held his own in a testy exchange.
Abortion rights, health care and ICE also surfaced as major flashpoints, with three more debates ahead before the November election in a closely watched battleground.