Collins enlists Manchin to woo moderates as she distances herself from Trump
Republican Sen. Susan Collins campaigned Wednesday with an unusual ally: Democrat-turned-independent Joe Manchin.
Early snow is already falling in the north-easternmost US state of Maine, where a 73-year-old Republican senator is fighting to save her political future. Susan Collins has held her Senate seat for three decades, becoming a nearly unmovable figure in the state's political scene. However, President Trump's nationwide unpopularity and Mainers' anger over rising fuel prices ahead of winter are creating pressure on Collins.
Her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson, a logger-turned-politician, is looking to capitalize on the situation and potentially flip the Senate seat. With Maine being crucial for any Democratic path to regaining the Senate majority, the stakes are high. While Democrats are expected to win the House of Representatives in the November 3 midterms, they would need to secure the Senate as well to stop Trump's right-wing agenda, including the power to nominate Supreme Court justices.
About one-third of Maine's voters are unaffiliated with either party, and these independents, who are generally opposed to Trump, could work in Jackson's favor. Most interviewed voters believe Collins has done well in funneling federal funding to Maine, but still question her ability to withstand a national crisis. Some Mainers believe a perfect storm of national setbacks, such as cost-of-living hikes, the Iran war, and allegations of massive Trump corruption, could ultimately lead to Collins' downfall.
Both Collins and Jackson come from the same sparsely populated, heavily forested northern county of Aroostook, but the issues they focus on differ, including politics and fuel prices. Arguments have erupted among patrons at local diners in the Aroostook frontier town of Fort Kent, reflecting the division in the community. While some support Jackson, others remain loyal to Collins.
Collins maintains her independence from Trump's most extreme policies, and her ability to protect Maine's interests, such as negotiating exemptions on Canadian goods, has earned her support. Polls show the candidates are closely matched, but Maine's tendency to be hard to poll accurately doesn't bode well for Collins.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
