# What the downfall of near three-decade senator Susan Collins says about Republican unpopularity

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/what-the-downfall-of-near-three-decade-senator-susan-collins-says-about-republican-unpopularity/
- Published: 2026-11-04T20:00:42+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T20:35:22+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/04/susan-collins-senate-defeat-troy-jackson
- Topics: Government, Politics

## Key points

- Troy Jackson defeated Susan Collins in Maine.
- Collins’s defeat ended nearly 30 years in the Senate.
- Jackson campaigned for just 101 days.

## Summary

Former logger and state legislator Troy Jackson defeated Susan Collins in Maine, ending the Republican senator’s nearly 30-year tenure and preventing her from winning a sixth term. Her loss, amid a Democratic wave and voter anger over Donald Trump’s presidency, shows how even a long-established political figure can be vulnerable when voters turn against her party.

Jackson had only 101 days to campaign after the Democrats’ original nominee withdrew. Collins had argued that her Washington connections helped bring federal funding and contracts to Maine, while Jackson promised to represent working people and remain accessible to constituents. With about 60% of ballots counted, he held a convincing lead and Collins conceded.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.