Collins distances herself from Trump, Jackson won’t confirm DSA ties: Takeaways from Maine Senate debate

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Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) underscored her differences with President Donald Trump during Maine’s first Senate debate Tuesday, telling viewers that she is “not exactly his favorite senator.”

Collins, who is the only Republican to represent a state former Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024, sought to distance herself from Trump and his policies on several occasions during her debate against former state Sen. Troy Jackson. The debate saw Collins pressed on the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act policies, the Iran war, tariffs, and her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

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