AUGUSTA — Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson on Wednesday publicly questioned Senator Susan Collins' handling of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, mocking her road salt exemption as insufficient while the state's economy suffers.
"I mean, yeah, thank you for the road salt," Jackson said at a campaign event after receiving an endorsement from the Maine Education Association. "But is that in the end going to feed people's families and put oil in the tank?"
Jackson, who served as Maine Senate president and majority leader from 2018 to 2024, challenged Collins to secure tariff relief on Canadian parts for manufacturers and fertilizer for farmers. He also cited the collapse of cross-border tourism in towns like Madawaska as evidence the state's economy is under strain.
"These are killing our economy," Jackson said.
The dispute centers on tariffs President Donald Trump imposed on Aug. 22, slapping 50 percent duties on many Canadian goods after trade negotiations collapsed. Canada retaliated with tariffs on billions of dollars in U.S. products, including steel, dairy, appliances and agricultural equipment.
Collins, a Republican who has long opposed tariffs on Canada, secured exemptions for road salt—Maine's sole source, purchased entirely from Canada. The town of Frenchville in northern Aroostook County, which has roughly 900 residents, faces an additional $10,000 annual cost from road salt tariffs, Collins said.
Collins has lobbied the Trump administration directly. She confirmed speaking with Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about reopening trade talks with Ottawa and de-escalating the conflict.
In a Tuesday interview with Politico, Collins said the administration "has very much underestimated the impact on Maine families, on small manufacturers, on our agricultural products." She described her goal as educating officials about tariffs' "considerable micro impact" on Maine, which the administration views as a "macro issue."
The Maine Senate race is among the nation's most closely watched contests. Polls show the race at a razor-thin margin, with Democrats seeking to flip the seat and Republicans defending Collins' seat.
