Troy Jackson refuses to apologise for telling Susan Collins to be quiet during debate
Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson has declined to apologise for telling Republican Senator Susan Collins to “shut up” during a debate. He said Collins had wrongly accused him of arranging a protest and that he would not accept being talked down to; the exchange has intensified scrutiny of the candidates in a closely contested race.
The interruption came when a 19-year-old protester opposed to data centres disrupted the debate, and Collins suggested he supported Jackson. The student later said he did not know Jackson personally. Collins said Jackson’s response reflected how he deals with women who disagree with him, while the Maine GOP called his conduct unacceptable. Collins is seeking a sixth term, and recent polls show Jackson narrowly ahead in a race rated a toss-up.
- Jackson stands by telling Collins to “shut up” during their debate.
- The argument followed a protester’s interruption and Collins’s accusation.
- The exchange adds tension to a toss-up Senate race.
New here? Start with this
Susan Collins is a Republican US senator for Maine, a state in the north-east of the United States. She is seeking a sixth term in the Senate, one of the two chambers of the US Congress. Troy Jackson is a Democrat and a former leader of Maine’s state Senate.
The debate took place during the campaign for Maine’s Senate seat. The protester who interrupted it was objecting to data centres, large facilities that house computer servers and use substantial amounts of electricity. The candidates disagreed over whether the protester had any connection to Jackson.
The Senate race is closely contested, and its result will help decide which party has more influence in Congress. The exchange has also drawn attention to how the candidates handle disagreement during the campaign.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Jackson’s defenders could argue that Collins made a serious accusation by linking him to a protester he says he did not know, and that he was entitled to challenge it directly. They may see his refusal to apologise as a rejection of what he viewed as an unfair attempt to talk down to him, while judging the exchange in the heat of a disrupted debate rather than as proof of a broader attitude towards women.
The case against
Collins’s defenders could argue that telling a woman opponent to “shut up” was disrespectful and unnecessary, whatever the merits of her accusation. In a high-profile debate, they may see his response as relevant evidence of how he handles disagreement and expect a candidate seeking public office to correct an exchange that demeaned his opponent, especially after the protester said he did not know Jackson personally.
Americas Geopolitics Government Politics World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Democrat Senate candidate defends telling female GOP rival to ‘shut up’ on debate stage”.