What the downfall of near three-decade senator Susan Collins says about Republican unpopularity

Susan Collins, who had represented Maine in the Senate for about thirty years, lost her bid for a sixth term to Democrat Troy Jackson in a midterm election that handed Democrats a sweeping national victory. Her defeat stands as a striking sign of how sour many voters have become on Donald Trump's presidency and the Republicans tied to it, according to The Guardian.

Jackson, a former logger who stresses his union background, had only 101 days to campaign. He became the nominee after Graham Platner, the original Democratic choice, withdrew over sexual misconduct allegations that Platner denied. Polls showed a tight race, and Collins had built a reputation as a Maine institution who steered federal money home. Early returns showed Jackson narrowly ahead, but with roughly 60% of ballots counted his advantage was clear, and MS Now reported that Collins phoned to concede.

Jackson, once opposed to abortion rights himself as a legislator, won over abortion-rights supporters by pointing to Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, a justice who later sided with the ruling overturning Roe v Wade. Voter Todd Cox, who had backed Collins before, told the Guardian that worries about the country's direction pushed him toward Jackson.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →