Maine Senate Race Narrows to Under 168 Hours

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic nominee Troy Jackson spent Wednesday in separate parts of Maine, campaigning with fewer than seven days until voters head to the polls. Collins met iron workers arriving for their shift in Bath, while Jackson organized a canvassing event in Brunswick. Both candidates described the final stretch as an all-out effort to secure votes in a tightly contested state.

The race has become heated over a series of advertisements released by the Republican super PAC Senate Leadership Fund. The ads suggest that Jackson and his longtime partner are second cousins. Jackson blamed Collins for the strategy, arguing that her team is spending large sums to attack his family because she will not fight for voters. He called the attacks upsetting and said the spending was in the millions.

Collins responded by asking for some of the ads to be pulled from circulation. She expressed disappointment, citing what she described as a string of lies in the campaign. She did not issue a formal statement, but her comments came as she continued to visit local employers and community groups across the state.

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona joined Jackson on the trail, adding national attention to the local fight. Kelly described the election as important and noted that he had visited New Hampshire, Iowa, and Kansas, observing that some races were closer than expected. He planned to continue his tour by supporting Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in New Hampshire on Thursday.

Political analyst Mark Brewer noted that the margin of error is so small that the outcome may not be clear on election night. He predicted it could take days to determine which candidate holds the seat, a result that would shape the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.