Susan Collins tells voters she’s ‘not exactly’ Trump’s favorite senator

Susan Collins tells voters she’s ‘not exactly’ Trump’s favorite senator Democrats are targeting the Maine seat to gain control of the Senate - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in In her first Maine Senate debate against Democrat Troy Jackson, Republican Sen. Susan Collins sought to distance herself from President Donald Trump, stressing her independent voting record and noting she is "not exactly his favorite senator." Democrats are targeting the Maine seat to gain control of the Senate. Following Trump’s defeat in the state in 2024, the party hopes to unseat the five-term moderate Republican, who has previously survived competitive challenges. Jackson, a former logger and state lawmaker, spent much of the hour-long debate attempting to link Collins to the president. He pointed to her pivotal vote confirming Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump nominee who later helped overturn abortion rights. Though Collins supports abortion rights and said Kavanaugh assured her the precedent was settled law, she recently stated she does not regret her vote. "Would you trust her to pick the next Supreme Court justice?" Jackson asked. Jackson also highlighted her procedural vote to advance the president’s 2025 tax and spending bill, though Collins ultimately broke party lines to vote against the final measure. Collins countered that she voted against Trump more frequently than she did Joe Biden during his presidency, citing her opposition to administration policy on tariffs, immigration enforcement, and Iran. "I voted against my party more than another other senator on either side of the aisle," Collins said. The focus on the president comes as an AP-NORC poll in September found just 31% of U.S. adults approved of how he is handling the presidency, down significantly from when he assumed office last year. As the president holds national rallies for GOP candidates ahead of November, debate moderators asked Collins if she would stand beside him if he campaigns in Maine. "I’m not exactly his favorite senator," she said, adding, "I would say that he’s not coming to Maine." Collins did not vote for Trump in 2016 and voted to convict him following his 2021 impeachment over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. In January, she joined a few Republicans supporting a failed effort to curb the president’s authority to use military force in Venezuela, leading Trump to declare on social media that they "should never be elected to office again." Emphasizing her seniority, Collins said her position secures vital funding for Maine: "Leadership matters in Washington." She sought to shift blame for high energy and housing costs onto Jackson, citing his tenure as state Senate president and criticizing "Augusta’s failed policies". The debate underscored contrasting appeals to working-class voters. When Collins highlighted removing goods like pulp, concrete, and road salt from Trump’s trade war with Canada, Jackson quipped, "we can’t eat road salt." The candidates are set to participate in three more debates later this month. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments