AUGUSTA, Maine — The race for Maine's U.S. Senate seat has emerged as one of the most closely watched contests this year, with incumbent Republican Susan Collins facing Democratic challenger Troy Jackson. Both candidates are competing for the support of Maine women, a voting bloc that has decided statewide races before.
Jackson entered the race after former candidate Graham Platner suspended his campaign last month. Platner, a progressive, faced an allegation of rape, which he denies. Stacy Leafsong, a progressive organizer in Belmont, Maine, who hosted Platner's first fundraiser, denounced him after reports emerged about his conduct toward women.
Leafsong, a domestic violence survivor, now backs Jackson, a former state senator. She said Jackson must connect with women across Maine and that their concerns extend beyond childcare and abortion.
The influence of women voters in Maine is evident from Collins' 2020 victory. Women made up nearly 60 percent of total turnout, according to exit polling. That group backed Joe Biden by 23 percentage points in the presidential race, then shifted to support Collins by three points.
Emily Cain, a Democrat and former state senator who led EMILY's List, said independents make up almost a third of Maine voters and that older women — who constitute the majority of the electorate — often decide statewide races.
Democrats see flipping the Maine seat as a crucial opportunity to regain a Senate majority. Collins is the only sitting Republican senator seeking reelection who represents a state that President Trump lost in 2024.
Collins has a record of winning tough campaigns. She has carried Maine in multiple cycles where Democratic presidential candidates won the state, demonstrating durable cross-party appeal.
Republicans have invested millions of dollars in the race, a signal of how seriously both national parties view the contest.
Leafsong said Jackson's ability to persuade Maine women that he will fight for their interests will define his campaign in the months ahead.
