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Maine Retires Collins, Proving Seniority Is Not a Lifetime Booking

November 4, 2026 at 6:01 AM EST · New York time

Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, CBS News projected, ending a Senate career that lasted nearly 30 years. The loss removes a longtime incumbent from a seat Republicans had held through many election cycles. Maine's race had also been unsettled by the withdrawal of Democratic nominee Graham Planter following multiple scandals, according to the BBC. Jackson ultimately emerged as the Democrat who defeated Collins. A long tenure gives a senator an extensive record and a familiar name. It does not, however, come with an automatic renewal clause. Collins' defeat is a reminder that the advantages of incumbency still have to be tested against an actual ballot, where voters are free to treat a distinguished résumé as a document rather than a contract. For Democrats, the result is a notable pickup on a night when they won control of Congress. For Republicans, losing a seat held for nearly three decades makes the task of rebuilding harder than changing a few signs outside an office. Maine voters have made the personnel decision; the parties can now begin the much longer ritual of explaining how they knew a change was possible all along. The next senator inherits the desk, not a guarantee that Maine will keep it in the family forever.

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