I’m supporting Susan Collins due to her hard work | Letter

Maine Teacher Voices Support for Susan Collins in 2026 Senate Race

A letter from long‑time Maine educator Linda Baker, who has spent more than 35 years teaching in public schools, was recently published in the Press Herald as part of the state’s election coverage. The letter, written from Topsham, explains why Baker is backing Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins over current Maine Senate President Troy Jackson in the upcoming 2026 race.

Baker notes that Jackson’s tenure as Senate President – a position that made him one of the most influential figures in Augusta – coincided with a downturn in Maine’s educational performance. “During those years, Maine students fell behind in every grade and core subject on the Nation’s Report Card,” she writes. She also points to a growing teacher shortage, describing how “teachers walked away from the classroom” and that the state “still can’t find enough new educators to replace them.”

The letter shifts focus to Collins, who, according to Baker, has directly improved the financial security of retired teachers and public servants. “Sen. Susan Collins is the reason I now receive the full Social Security benefit I earned,” Baker says, referring to Collins’ role in repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset—rules that had eroded Social Security benefits for public workers. Collins authored the Social Security Fairness Act and secured bipartisan support for its passage, a move that “more than 25,000 retired Maine teachers and public servants got a boost,” and that will benefit all current teachers as well.

Baker credits Collins’ “independent leadership” with making her life better and expresses hope that the legislation will help attract and retain more qualified teachers in Maine. She concludes her letter with a candid endorsement: “So, when people ask who I’m voting for, here’s my honest answer: Jackson ran the State Senate while Maine’s schools slid backward. Collins spent years fixing a problem for retired teachers and got the job done. I support Susan.”

The letter arrives as voters weigh their choices for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat in the 2026 election. While it reflects one educator’s personal experience, it underscores the broader debate over education policy and public‑sector benefits that will shape the campaign.