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Maine’s 2026 Senate Race: Susan Collins vs. Troy Jackson

Incumbent Senator Susan Collins, a long‑time Republican, faces a vigorous challenge from former state House speaker Troy Jackson in the upcoming 2026 election. The race has already drawn attention for the size of the campaign contributions the two candidates are receiving and for the stark differences in their policy priorities.

Campaign financing

According to the Federal Election Commission, Senator Collins has raised more than $2 million for her 2026 campaign, with a significant portion coming from a handful of wealthy donors. One of those donors is identified as the “world’s richest person,” a billionaire who has contributed the largest single donation in the race. The source of the donation—identified in the FEC filings as a private individual—has not been disclosed publicly beyond the name, and the donor’s company is a major player in the defense and technology sectors.

Senator Jackson’s campaign, in contrast, has raised roughly $800,000 to date. Most of those funds come from small‑donor contributions and a handful of mid‑level corporate donors who support his labor‑friendly platform. According to the FEC, no single donor has contributed more than $5,000 to Jackson’s campaign.

The disparity in the size of the campaigns is a point of contention in the race. Collins’ supporters argue that the large contributions give the incumbent the resources needed to reach voters across Maine’s 68 counties. Jackson’s camp counters that the bulk of his support comes from ordinary voters who are skeptical of the influence of big money in politics.

Political background

Senator Susan Collins has represented Maine in the U.S. Senate since 2013. She is the longest‑serving Republican senator from the state and has built a reputation for being one of the most influential members of the Senate in matters of national defense. In 2020, she was part of the committee that helped secure a major defense‑industry contract for a Maine shipyard, a move that created hundreds of jobs in the region.

Troy Jackson is a former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and has served in the state senate since 2019. During his tenure in the House, he championed legislation that increased the minimum wage in the state and expanded collective‑bargaining rights for public‑sector employees. Jackson’s 2026 campaign platform emphasizes job creation, affordable healthcare, and a transition to renewable energy.

Both candidates have announced that the Senate seat will be contested in the general election on November 3, 2026, following a Democratic primary that is set to take place in September.

Policy positions

Defense and federal spending
Collins has repeatedly supported federal defense spending, citing the need to maintain Maine’s strategic military installations. She voted for the 2023 defense budget that allocated $7 billion for the state’s naval base. In contrast, Jackson has called for a re‑allocation of federal funds toward infrastructure and education, arguing that the state’s economy would benefit more from investment in green technology than from expanded defense contracts.

Minimum wage and collective bargaining
Collins opposes any increases to the federal minimum wage and has voted to restrict collective‑bargaining rights for certain public employees. In 2022, she was one of the few senators who voted against a bill that would have allowed public‑sector workers to negotiate overtime pay. Jackson, on the other hand, has pledged to raise the state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2028 and has announced a plan to expand collective bargaining protections for workers in both the public and private sectors.

Energy and utilities
Maine’s electricity prices are among the highest in the country, with the average household paying $0.18 per kilowatt‑hour. Both senators acknowledge the issue, but they differ in their solutions. Collins has defended the state’s existing utility structure, which relies heavily on natural‑gas plants that are capped by federal regulations. She has criticized attempts to shift the energy mix toward renewables, arguing that the transition could raise costs for consumers. Jackson has said that a rapid shift to offshore wind and solar would reduce long‑term energy costs, and he has pledged to work with state regulators to streamline permitting for renewable projects.

Immigration enforcement
Collins voted to expand the authority of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2021, supporting the addition of 1,000 federal agents to the agency. She has also backed a 2024 bill that would increase penalties for undocumented immigrants found in the U.S. Jackson has called this expansion “over‑reach” by the federal government, arguing that it infringes on state sovereignty and harms community cohesion. He has pledged to oppose further federal immigration enforcement in Maine.

Healthcare
Collins has maintained a stance that healthcare is primarily a private‑sector concern. She has voted in favor of legislation that limits government involvement in pharmaceutical pricing and has supported reforms that give private insurers more flexibility in setting premiums. Jackson has emphasized that the state should play a larger role in ensuring affordable care, supporting a proposal for a state‑managed health exchange that would cap out‑of‑pocket costs for low‑income families.

Local reactions

The Maine Business Association has praised Collins for her role in securing federal defense contracts that keep the state’s shipyard afloat. A spokesperson said, “Maine’s economy depends on the defense industry, and Senator Collins has been an advocate for that sector.” Meanwhile, the Maine Workers Union has issued a statement supporting Jackson’s campaign, noting that he has a record of backing workers’ rights.

Public opinion polls released in March show a narrow