Susan Collins concedes in Maine Senate race

In the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, Troy Jackson, a Democrat and fifth-generation logger from Maine, defeated incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in a major upset. The race was closely watched as Collins faced challenges due to economic issues and her association with the struggling Republican Party. Jackson campaigned on universal healthcare and other populist policies, drawing support from high-profile progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders.

Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET on November 3rd, and Jackson's victory marks the end of Collins' nearly three-decade career in the Senate. In China, a town in northeastern Maine, voters supported Collins with 1,333 votes to Jackson’s 871, but statewide results showed Jackson defeating Collins.

Young voters celebrated Jackson's win as a significant gain for Democrats, who secured control of the Senate and made major gains across the country. This outcome reflects broader trends of Republican unpopularity, particularly given Collins' association with conservative Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whose rulings have been unpopular among many voters.