Collins distances from Trump, defends Kavanaugh vote in Maine debate
In the first of four debates ahead of the November 2026 Maine Senate election, incumbent Republican Susan Collins aggressively distanced herself from President Donald Trump, claiming she is not his 'favorite senator' and highlighting her frequent votes against her party. She refused to express regret over her 2018 confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, instead attacking Democratic challenger Troy Jackson’s past anti-abortion voting record. The debate also featured exchanges over a ProPublica report regarding an FBI investigation into alleged pay-to-play schemes involving defense contractor Navatek, which Collins denied.