Federal race · November 3, 2026
U.S. Senate
U.S. senators vote on federal legislation, confirm presidential nominees, and approve treaties; Maine has two senators.
6-year term. Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R) is seeking a sixth term. Ranked-choice voting is used for federal offices in Maine's general election. Democratic primary winner Graham Platner formally withdrew on July 10, 2026, and the Maine Democratic Party named Troy Jackson as the replacement nominee (filed July 27, 2026). Declared write-in candidates (Aug. 25, 2026 list): Brent Andrews (Unaffiliated), Sigrid Ann Olson (Democrat), Gina Oswald (Independent), Joseph Steinberger (Faith in Humanity), Michael Turcotte (Un-enrolled) and Ashley J. Webb (Democratic).
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by last name.
Susan Collins
U.S. Senator from Maine (since 1997); Chair, Senate Appropriations CommitteeCollins is a Republican who has represented Maine in the U.S. Senate since 1997 and is seeking a sixth term. She chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Her campaign centers on her experience, seniority and record of bipartisan work, federal funding for Maine projects, and lowering costs for families.
Troy Jackson
Former President of the Maine Senate (2018–2024)Jackson is a Democrat, a logger from Allagash and a former Maine Senate president who served 20 years in the Legislature. After finishing third in the June 2026 Democratic primary for governor, he was chosen by a party convention to replace Senate nominee Graham Platner, who withdrew. His campaign centers on working-class economics, Medicare for All, taxing billionaires and corporations, and abolishing ICE.
Compare on the issues
Summaries of each candidate's stated positions. See each profile for sources and details.
| Issue | Susan Collins Republican | Troy Jackson Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| Abortion | Supports abortion rights; in 2022 co-sponsored legislation with Sen. Lisa Murkowski to put the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law. In 2018 she voted to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh. | Supports passing a federal right to abortion. Earlier in his legislative career he supported some abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period, and he has said his views on the issue have changed. |
| Health Care | Voted against the 2025 reconciliation bill (H.R. 1), citing its effect on Medicaid, including an estimated $5.9 billion less for Maine over a decade and risks to rural hospitals, while saying she supported its tax relief. Supported extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, with income limits ($100,000 for individuals, $200,000 for families) and anti-fraud safeguards. Opposes Medicare for All, saying it would be a government takeover leading to longer waits; says she proposed the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program in the 2025 budget negotiations. | Supports Medicare for All and lowering prescription drug prices. |
| Immigration | Says ICE needs reform but should not be abolished, pointing to a bill she advanced with funding for body cameras, training and inspectors general. | Supports dismantling and abolishing ICE. |
| Civil Rights | No public position found yet | Supports comprehensive federal civil rights legislation protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, and protecting the right to vote and organize. |
| Economy & Jobs | Says tariffs on Canada, Maine's closest trading partner, threaten jobs and raise costs; joined a bipartisan group of senators introducing the CANADA Act to exempt U.S.-owned small businesses from those tariffs. | No public position found yet |
| Elections & Democracy | No public position found yet | Supports banning members of Congress from trading stocks and overturning the Citizens United decision. |
| Energy & Environment | With Sen. Angus King, asked the president in September 2026 to release heating oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve as prices rose. | No public position found yet |
| Foreign Policy | No public position found yet | Calls for ending U.S. funding for Israel's military and, in his campaign's words, to "End the genocide in Gaza." |
| Social Security & Medicare | Her campaign says she authored the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in 2025, which restored full benefits for some public-sector retirees. | No public position found yet |
| Taxes | No public position found yet | Calls for raising taxes on billionaires and large corporations and cutting taxes for working-class households. |