Republican Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, traded sharp attacks over President Donald Trump, the cost of living, and abortion during their first debate in Maine on Tuesday. The matchup is part of one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country, with Maine serving as a central battleground in Democrats’ path to the Senate majority. Throughout the one-hour debate on CBS13 News, Jackson repeatedly tied Collins to Trump, mentioning the president’s name at least 20 times and asserting that she votes in alignment with him 96% of the time. Collins questioned the methodology of that study and emphasized instances where she opposed the administration. Collins pitched her seniority and her position as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee as major assets for the state, highlighting $1.5 billion in federal funds she brought home for 672 projects over the last five years. When asked if she would stand with Trump if he visited Maine, Collins sidestepped the question, stating she does not expect him to come and noting she is not his favorite senator. Despite a complicated relationship, Trump has endorsed her re-election bid, and Vice President JD Vance has campaigned for her in the state. Recent polls show a neck-and-neck race as Collins seeks a sixth term in a blue-leaning state. Both parties are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the contest. The debate also touched on abortion rights, coinciding with the anniversary of Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 Supreme Court confirmation. Jackson criticized Collins for voting to confirm Kavanaugh, whose vote helped overturn Roe v. Wade. Collins defended her record, emphasizing that she evaluates nominees based on qualifications and noting she is the only Republican senator to have voted for Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson. She also hit back at Jackson over his past more conservative stance on abortion, asserting she has always been pro-choice. On legislative issues, Jackson accused Collins of supporting policies that threaten Medicaid and failing to check the administration, while Collins criticized Jackson’s record as a state lawmaker regarding housing costs and property taxes, questioning his potential effectiveness as a junior senator. Immigration also sparked debate following the fatal shooting of a Mainer by an ICE officer earlier this year. Jackson argued Collins failed to push back against ICE, while Collins called the shooting horrific, noted that ICE needs reform, and pointed to her efforts alongside the Maine delegation to demand answers and secure funding for body cameras and officer training.
Source: nbcnews.com
