Collins Sends a Clear Message to Trump During Debate

WASHINGTON — In a clear indication of her stance, Senator Susan Collins seemed to signal to President Trump that he should steer clear of her campaign efforts.

During her initial debate of the election season against Democrat Troy Jackson, Collins (R-Maine) sidestepped a question about whether she would campaign alongside Trump if he visited Maine.

“I don’t think that President Trump is going to come to Maine,” she responded. “He’s planning on visiting many states. I haven’t heard anything from his office, and I’m not exactly his favorite senator.”

When pressed again, she reiterated, “I would say that he is not coming to Maine.”

On Monday, Trump mentioned to reporters that he was considering a trip to Maine as part of his midterm campaigning, although no definite plans have surfaced publicly yet.

“I think we’re going to Maine too. I’m going to Michigan in a week and a half,” Trump stated.

Trump lost Maine to Kamala Harris by about seven points in the 2024 election, and the state has leaned Democratic in all presidential races this century. Still, Collins has managed to maintain her Senate seat throughout this period.

Trump’s presence hung over the debate with Jackson, who sought to tie Collins to some of Trump’s policies, including those related to Iran, the trade war with Canada, and major legislative initiatives.

Collins consistently distanced herself from Trump, asserting her disagreements on the three issues mentioned. She referenced a study that showed she “voted against my party more than any other senator on either side of the aisle.”

Moreover, she emphasized her attempts to address issues stemming from both Trump and Maine’s Democratic-led state government. At one moment, she noted her success in negotiating the removal of salt from the tariff list, crucial for Maine’s winter road maintenance.

“What about everything else? We can’t eat road salt,” Jackson retorted.

As Jackson pointed fingers at the chaos in Washington as a source of Maine’s troubles, Collins sought to shift the blame back to him and the governance issues in Augusta.

“To see the policies driving up living costs in Maine, look at Augusta. Maine has the fourth-highest electricity rates in the nation, along with some of the highest housing expenses,” she argued.

“We also face exceptionally high property taxes, all of which stem from the failed policies of Troy Jackson’s leadership.”

Jackson, who led the state Senate from 2018 to 2024 and relied heavily on a thick binder of notes during the debate, struggled to get major legislation passed, a point Collins emphasized.

One of Jackson’s main criticisms was Collins’ vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court back in 2018. He pressed her, asking, “What will it take for you to admit you are ever wrong?”

“I clearly don’t agree with how Brett Kavanaugh voted on Roe v. Wade,” she replied. “I would point out that there’s only one of us on the stage who has always been pro-choice, and that’s me.”

Interestingly, while Jackson initially held pro-life views earlier in his political journey, he later shifted to a pro-choice stance.

Collins also reminded the audience that she had voted for all the liberal justices on the Supreme Court.