Trump backlash endangers Susan Collins' Senate seat
The gist
Susan Collins faces a re-election test as Maine voters weigh a message against Trump's second term.
The race could decide Senate control and whether her moderate brand still survives.
How it unfolded
- Oct 7, 2026CNN reports Republican candidates in close races are weighing how much to associate with Donald Trump; few attended the party convention, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott will skip Trump's upcoming rally, citing scheduling conflicts. Senator Susan Collins isn't expecting Trump to visit Maine.
- Oct 9, 2026The New Republic reports recent polls show a shockingly close Kansas Senate race; a YouGov poll from the end of September found Democrat Adam Hamilton up three points against incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall.
- Oct 12, 2026CNN reports the GOP midterm campaign has turned into a triage operation three weeks out from November. The Senate Leadership Fund suspended ad reservations in North Carolina, put at least $10 million into Kansas and $5 million into South Carolina, and has spent more than $100 million in Texas to boost Ken Paxton, whom Trump has rallied for three times in one month.