A new Fox News poll released August 14 shows Democratic candidate Troy Jackson holding a narrow 2-point lead over incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate race. The survey, conducted August 6-10 among 1,000 registered Maine voters, found Jackson at 48% and Collins at 46%, within the poll’s 3% margin of error.
Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and former president of the Maine Senate, became the Democratic nominee in July after Graham Platner withdrew amid allegations of inappropriate behavior and alleged sexual assault, which Platner has denied. The race remains highly competitive, with Collins’ support declining by 4 percentage points since a June survey, while Jackson’s support increased by 1 point compared to Platner’s prior standing.
Voter Concerns Shape the Race
The poll highlights differing voter anxieties about both candidates. 55% of Maine voters expressed concern that Collins’ voting record aligns too closely with President Donald Trump, while 43% were worried Jackson is too closely tied to the democratic socialist movement. Among independent voters, concerns about Collins’ Trump alignment outpaced worries about Jackson’s political alignment by a 14-point margin.
The race has also taken on a more referendum-like quality, with 61% of Jackson’s supporters stating their vote is primarily against Collins, up from 48% when Platner was the Democratic nominee. Conversely, 71% of Collins’ backers say they are voting primarily for her, an increase from 53% in June. Only 27% of Collins’ supporters cited voting against Jackson, down from 45% against Platner.
Background and Context
Collins, a Republican who has served in the Senate since 1997, won her fifth term in 2020 by nearly 9 percentage points. Her reputation as a moderate Republican who has occasionally broken with Trump contrasts with the current polling dynamics, where her ties to the president appear to be a potential liability in a state known for split-ticket voting and independent voter influence.
Jackson, representing rural and working-class communities, has emphasized his background as a logger and his experience in the Maine Senate. His candidacy introduces a distinctly Maine-focused contrast to Collins, though the poll suggests voters are more attuned to Collins’ national political associations than Jackson’s progressive alignment.
Both campaigns were contacted for comment by Newsweek and Fox News prior to publication.