2026 Maine U.S. Senate Election
Compare candidates’ positions, polling, and sourced race updates.
The 2026 Maine U.S. Senate election will determine one of Maine's two seats in the U.S. Senate, with the outcome carrying national implications for control of the chamber. Incumbent Republican Susan Collins, first elected in 1996, is seeking a sixth term in a state that has swung between Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in recent cycles. She faces Democratic nominee Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate president and fifth-generation logger from Allagash, who was selected at the party's July 25, 2026 convention after the original nominee, Graham Platner, withdrew amid a sexual assault allegation he denies. The race pits Collins' long tenure and independent brand against Jackson's progressive, labor-aligned campaign, and early polling shows a statistical tie in what is expected to be one of the most competitive and expensive Senate races of the cycle.
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Susan Collins
Susan Collins is the incumbent U.S. Senator for Maine. She was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and is currently serving her fifth term. Collins is known for her moderate political positions and her willingness to work across the aisle.
Troy Jackson is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, a fifth-generation logger from Allagash and former president of the Maine Senate. He served in the Maine Senate from 2008 to 2014 and 2016 to 2024, and was selected as the party's Senate nominee at a July 25, 2026 convention after original nominee Graham Platner withdrew. Jackson, who finished third in the 2026 Democratic gubernatorial primary, is running on a progressive, working-class populist platform including Medicare for All, taxing billionaires, and a federal right to abortion.
Race Forecast
Troy Jackson favored
Troy Jackson: 64% modeled win probability with a +3.0 pts estimated margin
Polling
About this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 8/8/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.