Troy Jackson defeats Susan Collins, flipping Maine's Senate seat

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Susan Collins had held Maine's Senate seat since 1996, winning five elections in a state that otherwise votes Democratic. On Tuesday, Troy Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and former state Senate president, beat her.

The win is one of the seats Democrats needed to retake the Senate majority. It ends Collins's nearly 30-year career and could leave New England without a single Republican in Congress.

Why it matters

Democrats now control the Senate agenda, and Maine's Senate seat changes hands for the first time since 1995.

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Key Indicators

$250M+

Ad spending

Combined spending by Democratic- and Republican-aligned groups, per AdImpact.

30 years

Collins's Senate tenure

Collins was first elected in 1996 and served nearly three decades.

1995

Last Democratic senator from Maine

Jackson is the first Democrat to represent Maine in the Senate since 1995.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Troy Jackson

U.S. Senator-elect from Maine

Won the Senate seat; will be seated in January 2027

Susan Collins

U.S. Senator from Maine, 1997–2027

Conceded; term ends January 2027

Graham Platner

Former Democratic Senate candidate in Maine

Withdrew after a rape allegation, which he denies

Donald Trump

President of the United States

Low approval in Maine shaped the race

Organizations Involved

Democratic Party (DIKO)

Political party (centrist)

Flipped Maine's Senate seat and retook the chamber majority

The party flipped Maine's Senate seat and retook the chamber majority in the 2026 midterms.

Republican Party

Political party

Lost Maine's Senate seat and the chamber majority

The party lost Maine's Senate seat and its Senate majority in the 2026 midterms.

United States Senate

Legislative chamber

Control shifts to Democrats

Control of the chamber shifts to Democrats after the 2026 midterms.

Timeline

November 1996 November 2026

7 events Latest: Yesterday

Tap a bar to jump to that date

November 2026
Jackson defeats Collins
Latest Election

Jackson wins, and Collins concedes Tuesday evening.
Yesterday
Democrats retake Senate
Election

The Maine flip helps Democrats win a Senate majority.
Yesterday
July 2026
Platner exits, Jackson enters
Campaign

Graham Platner suspends his campaign after a rape allegation, which he denies; Jackson wins the nomination.
July 2026
2025
Medicaid cuts pass
Legislation

Republicans cut Medicaid by roughly $1 trillion; Collins voted against the final bill but helped it reach the floor.
2025
June 2022
Roe v. Wade overturned
Court ruling

The Supreme Court ends the constitutional right to abortion, making Collins's Kavanaugh vote a campaign issue.
June 24th, 2022
October 2018
Collins backs Kavanaugh
Vote

Collins votes to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, a vote Democrats would revisit for years.
October 6th, 2018
November 1996
Susan Collins elected to the Senate
Election

Collins wins her first Senate race in Maine, beginning a career that would span five terms.
November 5th, 1996

Scenarios

Jackson is seated and Democrats organize the Senate majority

Likely Resolves by Jan 20, 2027

Discussed by: NPR and AP

Maine certifies the result, Jackson is sworn in, and Democrats hold the Senate majority when the new Congress convenes. This is the expected path given the race call and Collins's concession.

A recount or legal challenge delays certification

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Maine election officials and local press

Collins has conceded, but a formal challenge could still slow certification. No such challenge has been filed.

New England sends no Republicans to Congress

Possible Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: Fortune

With Collins gone, the region could have no Republican in Congress for the first time since the party was founded. The outcome depends on other New England House and Senate races still being counted.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

November 2006

Lincoln Chafee loses in Rhode Island (2006)

Rhode Island Republican Lincoln Chafee, a moderate in a heavily Democratic state, lost his Senate seat to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. President George W. Bush's low approval and the Iraq war weighed on Chafee throughout the race.

Then

Democrats picked up the seat and won control of the Senate.

Now

Chafee's defeat became a template for how national unpopularity can sink a moderate New England Republican.

Why this matters now

Collins faced the same dynamic: a moderate Republican in a blue state, tied to an unpopular president and rising costs.

February 2012

Olympia Snowe retires from the Senate (2012)

Maine Republican Olympia Snowe announced she would not seek reelection, citing frustration with partisan gridlock. She had served since 1995 and was one of the last moderate Republicans in the chamber.

Then

Independent Angus King won her seat, and Maine's Senate delegation became more Democratic-leaning.

Now

The retirement marked the shrinking of the Senate's moderate Republican wing, a decline that continued through Collins's tenure.

Why this matters now

Snowe's exit showed how hard it had become for moderate Republicans to survive in Maine, a pressure that finally caught up with Collins.

January 2021

Georgia Senate runoffs flip the chamber (2020–2021)

Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won runoff elections in Georgia, giving Democrats a 50-50 Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris breaking ties. The two seats decided control of the chamber.

Then

Democrats took the Senate majority and set the agenda for the next two years.

Now

The runoffs showed how a single state's results can decide Senate control.

Why this matters now

Maine's flip played the same role in 2026: one seat that moved the chamber from Republican to Democratic control.