WASHINGTON — Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) indicated that she does not expect President Trump to visit Maine during his campaign. During a debate against Democrat Troy Jackson, Collins avoided directly answering whether she would campaign with Trump, stating, "I don’t think that President Trump is going to come to Maine. He’s talking about going to a lot of different states. I’ve heard nothing from his office. And I’m not exactly his favorite senator." When pressed further, she reiterated, "I would say that he is not coming to Maine."
On Monday, Trump mentioned to reporters that he planned to visit Maine as part of his midterm campaign efforts, although no specific plans have been announced. He stated, "I think we’re going to Maine too. I’m going to Michigan in a week and a half."
In the 2024 election, Trump lost Maine to former Vice President Kamala Harris by approximately seven points, and the state has consistently voted Democratic in presidential elections this century. Despite this, Collins has retained her Senate seat during that time.
During the debate, Jackson attempted to link Collins to Trump's policies, including issues related to the war in Iran and trade tensions with Canada. Collins distanced herself from Trump, emphasizing her opposition to those policies and citing a study that indicated she has voted against her party more than any other senator.
Collins also addressed challenges stemming from both the Trump administration and Maine’s Democratic-controlled state government, mentioning her negotiation to remove salt from the tariff list due to Maine’s reliance on imports from Canada for winter road treatment. In response, Jackson criticized her for not addressing broader issues, stating, "What about everything else? We can’t eat road salt."
As Jackson attributed Maine's problems to federal governance, Collins redirected the discussion to state governance, stating, "If you look at the policies that have driven up the cost of living in Maine, you have to look at Augusta. Maine has the fourth-highest electricity rates in the country. It has some of the highest housing costs in the entire country. It has extraordinarily high property taxes. Those are all due to Augusta’s failed policies under the failed leadership of Troy Jackson."
Jackson, who led the state Senate from 2018 to 2024, faced criticism from Collins regarding his legislative achievements. One significant point of contention was Collins' vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018. Jackson questioned her about acknowledging any mistakes, to which Collins responded, "I clearly don’t agree with how Brett Kavanaugh voted on Roe v. Wade. I would point out that there’s only one of us on the stage who has always been pro-choice, and that’s me."
Collins noted that she has supported all liberal Supreme Court justices.