Key takeaways from Maine Senate debate
The gist
Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson debated four times in Maine's Senate race.
The race could decide which party controls the Senate next year.
How it unfolded
- Oct 6, 2026Collins and Jackson held their first debate, blaming each other for Mainers' struggles.
- Oct 8, 2026A second debate, hosted by Maine's Total Coverage, covered tariffs on Canadian goods, oil prices and abortion access; the candidates disagreed over how to address high energy costs.
- Oct 13, 2026The third of four debates, held at a TV studio in Bangor and hosted by WABI and WAGM, covered health care, the war in Iran and Collins's record.