In a debate hosted by Maine television, Collins, 73, who has served in the Senate since 1996, went to unusual lengths to differentiate herself from the president. She said she had voted with former president Joe Biden more than 90% of the time and that she votes against her own party more than any other senator. 'I'm not exactly his favorite senator,' Collins said when asked about a potential Trump campaign visit to Maine, adding that she has heard nothing from the White House.
The defensive posture reflected the challenge of representing a state that has voted against Trump in all three of his presidential campaigns. Collins stressed her opposition to tariffs on Canada, a critical trade partner for Maine, and noted she had voted nine times to end the war with Iran, calling it 'not well thought out.'
Jackson, 58, a veteran state legislator who entered the race after the previous Democratic candidate, Graham Platner, withdrew in July following sexual assault allegations, painted Collins as a Trump loyalist. He said she votes with the president 96% of the time and focused relentlessly on her vote for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who later joined the majority that overturned Roe v Wade.
'Eight years ago today, Maine women went to DC and begged Senator Collins not to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, but she did it anyways,' Jackson said in his opening statement. 'He helped overturn Roe v Wade, and today she says she has no regrets. Would you trust her to pick the next supreme court justice?'
Collins, who has built a reputation as a moderate, did not express regret for the Kavanaugh vote. The moderator, Gregg Lagerquist, noted that Trump had suggested he might campaign in Maine, prompting Collins to react with alarm and dismiss the possibility. The race is seen as a key battleground for Democratic hopes of winning the Senate.