Maine Senate debate, October 15, 2026

Moderator ▶ 12:28

Hello and welcome to this Your Vote 2026 debate between the two candidates for U.S. Senate. I'm Maine Public's Jennifer Rooks and we are live at the Gracie Theater at Hudson University in Bangor. For the next hour we will hear from Republican Senator Susan Collins who is seeking her sixth term in office and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, a former logger who served as president of the Maine Senate. This debate is in partnership with News Center Maine and the Portland Press-Herald. Our panel of journalists: Maine Public's Chief Political Correspondent Steve Missler and Phil Hirschkorn, Political Reporter for NewsCenter Maine. We will begin with one-minute opening statements. The order was determined by random drawing prior to the broadcast, so first up is Senator Susan Collins.

Susan Collins ▶ 13:28

It's great to be here at Hudson tonight where I once worked. Students here inspired me to introduce one of my very first bills. It provided a tax deduction for the interest on student loans. As the first Maine Senator in nearly a century to chair the Appropriations Committee, I have secured 1.5 billion dollars for 672 community projects during the past five years. This has required hard work, knowledge, and seniority. The question for voters in this campaign is who can do more for Maine. If I'm re-elected, I will be fifth in seniority and continue to run the Appropriations Committee. So I ask for your support so that I can continue my work for you.

Moderator ▶ 14:39

And now to Troy Jackson.

Troy Jackson ▶ 14:41

Oh, thank you everyone. I'm Troy Jackson. I'm a fifth generation logger from Allagash. You know, right now in this country there's a lot of chaos. People are worried, they're scared. Tonight, open enrollment starts for Medicare. And, you know, I believe strongly that people shouldn't have to go not understanding if they can go to their doctor, not understanding if they can go get prescription drugs. You know, Senator Collins helped advance the big beautiful bill that cut 3.5 billion dollars out of our healthcare system here in Maine. It cut SNAP benefits, it cut heating assistance, a whole bunch of different things. That's so that billionaires in this country could have another income tax cut. That's what people in Maine are dealing with. I mean, that's the struggle that they have right now. And for me, I don't owe Donald Trump or the billionaires anything. I owe the people of Maine everything. That's who I'm going to be fighting for, like I have in the Maine legislature. I'll continue to do as Senate, and I ask for your vote today.

Moderator ▶ 15:43

And now to the questions selected by our journalists. Each candidate will have one minute to respond. Our first question is from Phil Hirschkorn. Good evening. The eyes of the nation are on this Senate race because the road to a Senate majority runs through Maine and a handful of other states, as we all know. Mr. Jackson, make the case for me why the country would be better off, with your help, if the Democrats took over the U.S. Senate and even the House.

Moderator ▶ 17:18

Senator Collins, same question for you. What is the benefit to the country if Republicans, with your help, stay in control of the Senate majority?

Susan Collins ▶ 17:30

Well, I think we've only to look back at the Biden administration when we had absolutely no control over our borders. We had millions of people coming here illegally, often committing crimes and smuggling drugs. I don't think we want to go back to totally open borders. In addition, I would point out a major difference between Troy and me. I vote very independently. Of all the hundred senators, the studies show that I am the most bipartisan member of the Senate. We need more people in the Senate. We don't need more people who are going to vote a straight party line. We need people who will ask the question, what is best for Maine and what is best for America.

Moderator ▶ 18:29

Thank you, Phil. Follow-up questions? Just for Senator Collins, can you name a time when you voted against your party and President Trump where it actually changed the outcome significantly?

Susan Collins ▶ 18:39

There are several examples of that. At one point, I had organized people to vote against Secretary Hegseth. As you undoubtedly have read at the very last minute, one of our Republicans changed his mind. Otherwise, he would have been defeated for that job.

Moderator ▶ 19:03

So that didn't change the outcome?

Susan Collins ▶ 19:06

Well, but it came, it would have had that person stayed there. There actually are 56 times when the outcome was changed according to an analysis. That was done by the press and I voted against my own party more often than any other senator on either side of the aisle that it's not something that Troy could ever say he's going to be an automatic vote for the Democratic position no matter what we have lost a lot of the centrist and one reason I'm running again is we need people who will work across party lines.

Moderator ▶ 19:48

Mr. Jackson, when Bernie Sanders was with you last weekend, he said the Republicans are a rubber stamp for Trump. She's saying you're going to be a rubber stamp for your party. How do you respond?

Troy Jackson ▶ 19:58

Well, Senator Collins likes to have it both ways. I mean, The reality is that 100% of the time when Donald Trump needs her, Susan Collins is going to be there. That has happened time and time again. The votes that she throws away, or managed votes, that she already knows the outcome. She just brought up the Hegseth vote. Look, the other thing about this too is she consistently talks about how I don't get anything done. I had 40 vetoes from Governor Mills, 50 with LePage. I mean those are bills that get passed. I mean how can I be a rubber stamp with my very own governor, Democratic governor, vetoing 40 of my bills? I mean, Senator Collins keeps wanting to play that game, but it just isn't right. I mean, she knows better, but she's trying to obviously make a point for the reason that she votes with Donald Trump 96% of the time is because she is the rubber stamp and we all know it.

Susan Collins ▶ 20:56

I have to do a rebuttal on that because once again, you have heard Troy say that I vote with the president 92 or 94% of the time. That takes only a third of the votes. If you look at 90% of the votes, you will find that I vote with him 72% of the time, not 95% of the time. The other thing that he has said that is just plain wrong is that I somehow am responsible for the Medicaid cuts in the big beautiful bill. I have voted repeatedly against cutting the Medicaid program and the Medicare program. That is just false.

Troy Jackson ▶ 21:46

I said that she advanced the bill out of committee. She keeps wanting to do that.

Moderator ▶ 21:50

I'd like to move on.

Troy Jackson ▶ 21:52

Well, no, I'd like to respond.

Moderator ▶ 21:53

Yeah, that's fine.

Troy Jackson ▶ 21:54

I said that she advanced out of committee. They called her a team player for doing that. Look, if she wants to vote, argue about percentages, 92, 95, 96, fine. What I know is 100% of the time when Donald Trump goes to Susan Collins for a vote, he gets it.

Moderator ▶ 22:07

We're going to go to the next question. We're going to move on, and the next one's for Steve Missler to ask. Sure. The national debt is roughly $40 trillion in accelerating following passage of the one big beautiful bill, which adds another $4 trillion to that total. That debt means higher borrowing costs, stagnant wages, and higher prices for Americans, according to the Government Accountability Office. What steps will you take to reduce this problem? Senator Collins, you go first, please.

Susan Collins ▶ 22:36

Well, we do have a $40 trillion debt. That is huge. What's more troubling is the percentage of GDP that our debt is the equivalent to. So one thing we need to do is to grow our economy, to not pursue policies as Troy would and as he has here in Maine. that impose enormous tax burdens on the people of Maine. The people of Maine have the fifth highest tax burden in the country. That stifles economic growth. So we need to expand the economy. I also believe that if you look at what we've done on the Appropriations Committee, you'll see that we have held the spending under our jurisdiction overall relatively flat. And I think that is significant. We have terminated hundreds of programs and we take a close look at every program.

Moderator ▶ 23:47

Senator Troy Jackson, I'm sorry.

Susan Collins ▶ 24:36

I have to respond. First of all, Maine does not have a balanced budget right now. We know for a fact that Maine has a budget deficit of more than a billion dollars. That happened under Troy's watch.

Moderator ▶ 24:52

Troy Jackson.

Troy Jackson ▶ 24:53

I don't think I've been in the legislature for the past two or three years. I want to just add that that budget gap is a structural gap.

Susan Collins ▶ 25:05

Well, it's a structural gap that has come about as a result of policies that were adopted by the legislature. Troy's right that Maine's supposed to have a balanced budget, but in fact it doesn't. the next governor and legislator are going, legislature is going to inherit more than a billion dollar hole in the budget.

Troy Jackson ▶ 25:31

Compared to $36 trillion in the federal government. But look, Here's the deal. I mean, again, I wasn't in the legislature here for these last session. I didn't put the last budget together or anything like that. I didn't know what the forecasts were for those last two years. But what I probably imagine what has happened is that we are losing money because of Senator Collins being willing to advance a big, beautiful bill out, taking all that health care money, losing all that Medicaid money, losing that stamp money, losing a lot of heat money. mean I'm sure that a big part of that is because of what the federal government has done while we're losing money but again I wasn't in the legislature to do that budget but we always do have a balanced budget and we will get this there the legislature will get this one balanced

Moderator ▶ 26:16

also we have several questions from the public and I hope to get to some of them and the first one we'll get to now these are video questions that were submitted to the to the Portland Press-Herald, our partner in this debate. They have been vetted by our journalists. After we hear this question, we'll go to Troy Jackson first for the answer.

Other ▶ 26:34

My name is Bert Comiskey. I'm a student at UMaine. And this is my question. Can you give me an example of a time you stood up to your own party on an issue that is important to Maine? And what did you accomplish by doing so?

Troy Jackson ▶ 26:49

I mean I think there's a number of times, I mean but the one I think of right now is rejecting corporate PAC money. I think the Democrats are still too close to that. I don't accept corporate PACs, I don't accept corporate money. This is a campaign about fighting for everyday working class people and that's one thing that I've been consistent on. Two issues...

Moderator ▶ 27:15

Senator Collins, I'm so sorry to interrupt. I'm sorry, somebody's interrupting. We'll have our security deal with that.

Other ▶ 27:22

AI data centers are destroying our climate. They are poisoning our water. So this is obviously one of Troy's supporters. Oh, shut up. I didn't know that. I don't even know that kid.

Moderator ▶ 27:35

Senator Collins, we'll give you the full minute to respond to the question from the video when... Go ahead. Would you like the question repeated from Brett Comiskey? He wants to know if you can cite a time in which you differed from your party in an issue that was important to me.

Susan Collins ▶ 27:57

Yes. And the big beautiful bill is the perfect example. Troy keeps saying that that bill would have died if I had not voted to bring it to the floor. That's just not true. The fact is that the Vice President would have broken any kind of tie vote and we would have proceeded. And it was far better to bring the bill to the floor so that I could add to it a $50 billion fund for rural healthcare. That is something Troy never could have gotten done. So I nevertheless voted against the bill even though it was the President's top legislative priority. I've also voted nine times against the President on the Iran war.

Moderator ▶ 28:55

Thank you. The third question will be from Phil Hirschkorn and it will go to Senator Collins first. You already brought up Defense Secretary Hegseth, how you voted against his confirmation. You also voted against confirming Attorney General Todd Blanch more recently and last year FBI Director Kash Patel. And I know you have this philosophy that presidents should surround themselves with people who they want if they're qualified. So the question is, do you regret voting against voting to confirm Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy? A lot of viewers asked us that one. And do you regret confirming the budget director, Russell Vogt, who seems to have gotten under your skin with all of these impoundments of money that the Senate has appropriated?

Susan Collins ▶ 29:39

Well, first let me talk about RFK Jr. I very much disagree with him on the issue of vaccines and also his theory that there's some sort of link between certain vaccinations and autism. The overwhelming scientific evidence suggests that there is not. I agree with him strongly that we need to focus more on chronic diseases such as cancer, such as Alzheimer's, such as Parkinson's disease. Those have not gotten the attention from the federal government that infectious diseases have received. I also agree with his focus on ultra-processed foods. I think he's absolutely right about the health impacts and that they need more study. So I agree with him on some issues, disagree with him on others. On Russell Vogt, it is true that we fight on a lot of different issues and I'm pleased to say that I often prevail, such as his proposed cuts on medical research. Not only did we reject the 41% cut in medical research, we actually increased it by $415 million.

Moderator ▶ 31:05

We're over a minute here. Mr. Jackson, let me just pivot the question a little bit for you at a recent town hall of yours that i attended someone in the audience asked whether you thought that congress should impeach and remove from office defense secretary had set the new as i understood said you were for that But is that really what the Senate or how should we be doing if Democrats regain control, that kind of retribution or focus more on governing?

Troy Jackson ▶ 31:32

Well, I think it's more about early on vetting these candidates, you know, having real scrutiny at the hearing. And when they tell you something like Vaught did or RFK, understanding what they're telling you, they're actually going to do. It doesn't seem, I don't think Senator Collins actually said if she regretted that vote or not. I don't think she answered your question. Do I think that's what we should be doing? No. I mean I think we need to deliver for the American public. Would I, if there was an opportunity or somebody, if there was a vote to impeach him, yeah I would vote for that but that's not my focus. My focus is delivering for health care, prescription drugs, child care, I mean things that Mainers need right now more than ever and getting out of Iran war so we can stabilize prices.

Moderator ▶ 32:18

Do you want to say yes or no quickly on RFK? Is that a regret or not?

Susan Collins ▶ 32:24

No. As I said, I agree with him on some issues, I don't with the other. He was very helpful in expediting the release of the low-income heating assistance program.

Moderator ▶ 32:33

Thank you. We are going to ask each candidate, or allow each candidate to ask each other a question, and first up is Susan Collins.

Susan Collins ▶ 32:41

Troy, when you were replacing Graham Plattner, you promised to be totally transparent in your donors and donations. Two nights ago at our debate, you said that the very next morning you would provide your FEC report. You did not. You've also said that you would take no money from billionaires. That's not accurate. You've also said that you would not take any corporate PAC money. That's not accurate. The fact is you've been running hybrid ads with the Democratic Campaign Committee, which has taken funding from 28 billionaires and 190 corporate PACs. So how can you stand here when you have ads that are financed in part by the DSCC and have your disclaimer on them saying, "I'm Troy Jackson and I approve this message," and tell us that you're not benefiting from corporate PAC money and from billionaires?

Troy Jackson ▶ 34:03

Sure. So those ads obviously are done without my approval, just like you know very well. I mean Elon Musk is running ads for you. I think you've got an...actually they're running ads out in Portland, Oregon for you. But you also got an ad where you use a Teamster official saying that he supports you, he's asked you for a cease and desist. I mean did you know about that? I mean, I'm sure you didn't, but there it is. As far as my report, I did say that I would get it to you in the morning, and I didn't make that claim. And the reason why was we had over 200,000 people that gave to our campaign, 95% of them less than $100. and there's a lot of work to do to put into that. I got it in on time, just a day later, but I had to make sure that this report was done right. It was my first one. I had to make sure it was right because I don't have Donald Trump getting me out of investigations like you do. And so I wasn't able, I had to make sure it was done right.

Susan Collins ▶ 35:10

First of all, He did not answer the question correctly. These are ads. These are ads that have his disclaimer on it. It says, "I'm Troy Jackson. I approve this message." They are hybrid ads with the DSCC. The DSCC has received funding from 28 billionaires and more than 190 corporate PACs. That totally violates the promise that Troy made.

Moderator ▶ 35:46

Troy, you have some time for a final...

Troy Jackson ▶ 35:50

because that they have an ad or they have something says i'm troy jackson anyone can use that uh... i don't use i don't make those decisions i mean i would be legal for me to make those decisions so i i have no knowledge of those ads was paying for a month that i know what's in my campaign i had fifteen thousand dollars in world and pharmaceutical money I donated that to heating assistance places, to food shelters, because I said I wasn't going to do that. And as far as the billionaires that I might have on my campaign, that is accurate, but I haven't made any deals like Senator Collins has with those billionaires. I don't owe them any votes. I'm going to tax those billionaires when I get to U.S. Senate. So if they want to give me money during this campaign, I guess that's up to them. But they know that I don't owe them a thing like Senator Collins.

Moderator ▶ 36:43

Troy Jackson, it's your opportunity to ask Senator Collins a question. Sure.

Troy Jackson ▶ 36:48

So look, you know, throughout this, especially these debates, you know, it's been very clear, you know, you said consistently that I don't have the experience, you just said it tonight, that I wouldn't be able to do the things that you do. I mean, I know that, you know, growing up as a working class person, I have all kinds of experience. I know how hard it is for people in Maine right now to pay their payments, put oil in the tank, different things. I mean, I have the experience fighting for working class people. And they deserve a senator that respects them. And so I guess, you know, what I'm curious about, is it just me that you look down on or is it working class people overall?

Susan Collins ▶ 37:32

Troy, I do not look down on you or on anyone. I grew up in Caribou. My first job was picking potatoes. The community all came together during the potato harvest. to make sure that the farmers could get their crop in. And I have worked since I was age 10. Literally since I was age 10. I have enormous respect for all the people of Maine. And that's why I've worked so hard on the Appropriations Committee to make sure, contrary to what you said, that the low-income heating assistance program was funded at the highest level ever. And I worked with Democrat Senator Jack Reed from Rhode Island to make sure that that happened. i've supported the wic program that helps low-income women with the infants and children to make sure they have the nutrition that they need i have supported all all the social safety net programs.

Moderator ▶ 38:43

Thank you. The next question is from Steve Missler, and we'll go to Troy Jackson first. Troy Jackson, both of you seem to agree that the Iran war is becoming a quagmire while driving up costs for Americans. But how should the U.S. end that conflict, given that Iran now has greater control of the Strait of Hormuz a vital shipping lane, and should it just end strikes against Iran and accept that the country has this leverage now?

Troy Jackson ▶ 39:13

50 per se well I i don't agree that we both feel the same about this I mean senator Collins had opportunities to stop it early on she still does as chair of Appropriations I mean I know she's gonna say she voted against it nine times but those are meaningless when she knows that the rest of her caucus is not going to support that I mean the way to block it would be now would be to shut off funding. But I mean, I do think that now that we're into this, we have to make sure that our troops are protected, thought of, made sure that we get them home safely. But yeah, I think it's something that we never should get into. And now we just need to get out of it and do it the most safely effective way to make sure our troops are protected. But we got to get out. We got to get out soon.

Moderator ▶ 39:56

senator collins

Susan Collins ▶ 39:56

the president should have had a good plan in advance for dealing with the straight of her moose because 20 of the world's oil goes through that but what that also tells us is that we in our country should be energy independent I disagreed with the Biden administration's approach of stopping leasing in the Gulf of Mexico and cutting off the Keystone Pipeline, which would have brought oil in from Canada. We need permitting reforms so that we could have a a pipe that brought natural gas from Pennsylvania to the state of Maine. It's cleaner and cheaper than heating oil. We're far too dependent on other forces. But here's what we have to do. We have to negotiate with Iran and with our allies in the region to make sure that Iran cannot continue enriching uranium to produce a nuclear weapon.

Moderator ▶ 41:05

Just a quick follow-up for you, Senator. And it's just, this is a fundamental problem about, you know, issue about war powers. Do you think that this war would have happened if Congress had been consulted first? And should it have?

Susan Collins ▶ 41:22

Congress definitely should have been consulted, but under the War Powers Act, the President as Commander-in-Chief for the first 60 days has very broad authority to do whatever he wants, essentially, when it comes to a military conflict after 60 days. That's when I voted every single time with the Democrats to bring the conflict to a halt because he did not have congressional authority to go to war.

Troy Jackson ▶ 42:03

I mean we did have an agreement with Iran. President Obama had gotten her agreement, President Trump tore it up and now we're stuck in another forever war. That Senator Collins with all her power and might of chair of corporations could have done more about, could still do more about it. And she keeps talking about the Keystone Pipeline, drilling off the coast of Mexico. How those, I mean, how having a Keystone pipeline is going to make us energy independent? I mean, if she wants to drill off the coast of Mexico, is she going to want to drill off the coast of Maine? I mean, the key to energy independence is not being caught up in countries that have this oil supply that we get into these wars with, like Russia and Ukraine, you know, the conflict there. Whenever we get... uh green energy in here in maine create a northern maine transmission line so we can get that power out we can actually get off this boom bus cycle and start lowering our energy costs but you know fighting with iran fighting with ukraine russia that's always going to put us in a tough spot and and right now it's worse it's ever been

Moderator ▶ 43:07

the next question is going to be from phil horse corner we'll go to senator susan collins first senator when it comes to immigration and customs enforcement ice We know that you have supported and funded certain reforms like body cameras and de-escalation training. But do those really hold ICE accountable? I mean, we're in a situation where when a police officer shoots someone fatally, they're immediately placed on leave and there's an investigation. It doesn't seem like ICE operates that way. And real cops don't wear masks and they don't shoot into moving vehicles. Now that ICE is fully funded until 2029 with your votes, Are there any other specific reforms that you would advocate to keep ice working less dangerously?

Susan Collins ▶ 43:49

Yes. First of all, I do support further reforms. And one reform that you didn't mention that I did get passed was a 17% increase in the budget of the independent inspector general. The reason I mentioned that is in the case of the horrific Biddeford shooting, the entire main delegation asked the Inspector General for an investigation. So it would be thorough and impartial. Here's another change that I think we need. I think ICE should be prohibited from doing enforcement actions at sensitive locations. By that, I mean schools, doctors' offices, hospitals, houses of worship. I think that those should be off-limits. I think we need much more training and vetting of anyone who is chosen to be an ICE official. We used to have that. It got curtailed. secretary DHS is extending that training

Moderator ▶ 44:58

mr. Jackson again I just want to tweak this for you because we know you want to dismantle ice you've said that a lot in this campaign but before ice we had IMS the immigration and naturalization service and you've also said well maybe CBP customs and border protection could take over some of the responsibilities but as Senator Collins noted in the last debate they are officers from CBP shot Alex Pretty in Minnesota. So my question for you is whether we call it ICE or INS or Immigrants R Us, we're going to have an immigration police force agency in this country. So how would you fix things other than just rebranding it?

Moderator ▶ 46:50

Thank you. The next question is from Steve, Steve Missler. We'll go first to Troy Jackson. uh... church accent and it is really the same question to both of you but this issue has been largely absent from this campaign but a recent report from the united nations environment program found that we've missed our chance to lower global temperatures to a point that will ever extreme heat wildfires and flooding should the u_s_ now focus climate resiliency to prepare for these outcomes or do you support focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reverse the trends and that question goes to you first Troy.

Troy Jackson ▶ 47:23

I don't think it's been left out I mean I brought it up a couple times Senator Collins thinks that the diversity transmission lines of failure. I don't. I actually think that it's a great opportunity for the state. I do believe that we're having real issues with climate and our best opportunity is to try and get off fossil fuels. I know other states, other countries, we can't dictate to that but we can definitely do what we can in this state. I think it creates opportunities, jobs. I think we could actually be selling other power our power to other states in New England, lowering our energy costs, doing investments in other things. I really do. I think it's a great opportunity. I do think climate change is happening, and the best way that we can do that or do anything to affect it is get off of fossil fuels, not build a Keystone pipeline, not drill in New Mexico or Mexico or Maine, let's actually build clean energy programs here in Maine and sell our energy to other states that need it.

Moderator ▶ 48:24

Senator Collins.

Susan Collins ▶ 48:25

Well, first let me say that while Troy was president of the Senate, during those six years, electric rates in Maine went up by 40%. We have the fourth highest electric rates in the country. Talk about an affordability issue. And the state has been encouraging many of us including me, to switch to heat pumps. Our electric rates make that very difficult. And that's due to policies adopted in Augusta. I do think climate change is real. You've only to look at the warming waters off the coast of Maine and the impact on the lobster industry. Southern New England doesn't really have much of a lobster industry anymore because the lobster are going further north where the water is colder. That's the best indication. So reducing greenhouse gases does make a lot of sense, but Thank you. We've got to have an all of the above approach to energy.

Troy Jackson ▶ 49:42

It's interesting, Senator Collins wants to talk about electric rates going up 40%. When heating oil costs have gone up 80% just in the last year because she won't keep Donald Trump in check in Iran. But even the 40% she's talking about, the public advocate came out with a report last week that that the reason why rates are gone up is because of fossil fuels natural gas because we have a older structure a big state role area lines, poles and things like that and at the end, storms that we all know has really messed up our infrastructure and at the end she brought up net energy billing. So you know Senator Collins keeps on talking about how our electric rates have risen.

Moderator ▶ 50:26

Thank you.

Troy Jackson ▶ 50:27

She doesn't want to talk about how our oil rates have risen.

Moderator ▶ 50:32

Thank you and Senator Collins.

Susan Collins ▶ 50:33

Every state is affected by the war in Iran's impact on oil. Not every state has the high electric rates that Maine has. They're lower right next door in New Hampshire.

Troy Jackson ▶ 50:48

They are because New Hampshire is such a smaller state and we have so many more lines, we have an older infrastructure, that's why our rates are higher than New England, than New Hampshire. Senator Collins knows that. She wants her cake and you want your cake.

Moderator ▶ 51:03

We want to get to some more questions. And this is another one that was submitted by a member of the public to the Portland Press Herald.

Other ▶ 51:12

Hi, my name is Michelle Guilford. I live in Standish. Senator Collins, you take credit for the Housing Act. Why were mobile home parks excluded from the private equity investor restrictions? And what will you both do to protect the millions of families that live in mobile home parks across America?

Moderator ▶ 51:33

Senator Collins.

Susan Collins ▶ 51:34

Well, first of all, they were originally included in the Road to Housing bill. There was a prohibition against private equity firms buying up single housing, single family housing, but also mobile home parks. and during the negotiations on this bill which in the end was strongly supported by elizabeth warren and tim scott real broad ideological reach there uh... that provision was dropped i'm not a member of that committee so i don't know what went into that decision i have worked and to help one of the mobile home parks in Maine get a better water supply and I've been able to do that through my role on appropriations. -

Moderator ▶ 52:32

All right, Troy Jackson. -

Moderator ▶ 53:43

The next question comes from Phil Hirschkorn. It will go first to Troy Jackson. Mr. Jackson, whether it's the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, there's a popular feeling in the country that the U.S. Supreme Court is out of step with the public. President Biden convened a commission to consider reforms such as 18-year term limits for justices and expanding the court from nine to 13 justices, one for every judicial district. What's your view?

Moderator ▶ 55:03

I know you're going to say that's packing the courts, so let me ask you, the proponents say of those reforms that I mentioned, the term limits and more justices, the advantage would be ideological balance and it would give every president over time a chance to appoint at least one justice. What's wrong with that?

Susan Collins ▶ 55:21

What we want is a Supreme Court that is insulated from politics. That was the whole idea of the judicial system, one of the three branches of government, parts of the checks and balances that the founders of this country envisioned, to try to pack the court by increasing the numbers goes completely against the vision of those who wrote the Constitution. I would also point out that I am the only Republican senator who voted for Justice Sotomayor, Justice Jackson, and Justice Hayden. those three liberal women justices who were appointed by Democratic presidents. And that's what I think the founders want. They don't want the Supreme Court to be like Congress.

Moderator ▶ 56:26

Thank you.

Troy Jackson ▶ 56:27

But nine's not in the Constitution. I think it was the first five.

Susan Collins ▶ 56:34

Nine's not in the Constitution. So you'd have the discretion. But it's inconsistent with the whole idea of the Supreme Court being insulated from politics.

Moderator ▶ 56:46

Thank you.

Susan Collins ▶ 56:47

That would make it a totally political body.

Troy Jackson ▶ 56:51

We have the best court that money can buy right now. And I think that has to be turned over.

Moderator ▶ 57:00

The next question from Steve Missler and Senator Collins will go first. advertising spending by outside groups, not your campaigns, on this contest has already reached 200 million dollars. Included in that is 75 million dollars in spending by anonymous and virtually untraceable sources, better known as dark money, which both parties are increasingly using in their electioneering efforts. Both your campaign and Troy Jackson's have benefited from this secret cash. Do you think it's important for the public to know who is trying to influence their vote?

Susan Collins ▶ 57:35

I do. I was one of the first co-sponsors of the McCain-Feingold bill early in my time in the Senate, which was sweeping campaign finance reform legislation. Unfortunately, it did not withstand constitutional muster, but I still think that there are reforms that could be made. one of them is full disclosure of everyone who is contributing whether they're contribute the billionaires contributing to the Democratic senatorial campaign committee or whether there are other people contributing to Republican groups I don't think there should be dark money groups

Moderator ▶ 58:28

senator Jackson Yeah,

Troy Jackson ▶ 58:30

I mean, I guess the question for me would be, why would Elon Musk want to put money into backing Senator Collins? Why would Leonard Leo? Why would Peter Thiel? I mean, so yeah, I'm 100% about overturns as a United. I mean, I was happy in Maine with the clean election system. I don't know if that's ever possible on the federal level, but I certainly would rather do that than have the extreme amount of money that's being paid by people across this country. I mean, just like the court. I mean, Billionaires have bought Congress and everyday people can't afford to buy them back. And I'm definitely someone that doesn't believe in corporate PAC money. I don't believe in taking money from people that are making it harder for everyday working class people. So I mean, I'm more than willing to do anything to get campaign reform because I just don't see this as something that everyday people can contribute to.

Moderator ▶ 59:25

We have another video question and after this we'll have Troy Jackson answer first.

Other ▶ 59:30

I'm Bridget O'Brien from Harpswell. I'm curious to know what each of you thinks about the state of democracy in America today. Do you feel that our democracy is under attack or do you feel like this is a natural progression of a democracy? And I'm curious to know what you think our democracy will look like five to ten years from now. The same? Stronger? Weaker? Thank you.

Moderator ▶ 61:06

Phil Hirschkorn, do you-- oh, excuse me, Senator Collins. Trying to make everything fair here and trying to keep track.

Susan Collins ▶ 61:16

We live in the greatest nation on Earth. I have worked with five presidents. I've only supported the campaign of one of those five, George Bush. But what I believe is that we are resilient and strong. I've seen the executive branch over the years, regardless of whether it was a Democratic president or a Republican president, try to get more and more power. For example, no president, Democratic or Republican, likes the War Powers Act. None of them have liked the War Powers Act. So I think that Congress does need to keep reasserting itself, but I think our democracy would be just fine.

Moderator ▶ 62:13

Phil Hirschkorn

Troy Jackson ▶ 62:14

is not going to be fine if we let people take away voting rights.

Moderator ▶ 62:19

We're going to go to Phil Hirschkorn and Susan Collins will answer this question first. Great. Senator Collins, before you got to the Senate, we had from 1994 to 2004 an assault weapons ban. A ban on long semi-automatic guns like AR-15s, which are used in so many mass shootings, like the one that occurred in Lewiston, Maine in 2023. Please tell me if you are for or against such a ban and why and also what about raising the age to buy a gun from 18 to 21 the same as beer?

Susan Collins ▶ 62:53

Well, first of all we are coming up on the anniversary of the tragic shooting in Lewiston and that causes us all to reflect. I talked in the previous debate about the Safer Communities Act, which I helped to negotiate and believe has made some real progress. I supported the original assault weapon ban. Here's what happened. during the Bush administration, as I recall. It was going to be extended. And then two Democratic senators decided to hugely extend it so that it was based more on the appearance of the gun rather than lethality. I am for having a reasonable limit on magazine capacity and I have voted to ban bump stocks which would prohibit the conversion to a fully automatic weapon.

Moderator ▶ 63:59

And the age? You didn't answer the age question.

Susan Collins ▶ 64:03

I'm sorry. I am open to increasing the age for an assault weapon.

Moderator ▶ 64:09

Mr. Jackson, your view which has changed over time.

Troy Jackson ▶ 64:13

I'm not in favor of increasing the age. It actually comes down to the person. I mean, we do have a culture here in Maine of you know, people being able to buy guns, stuff like that. What, what, but I am willing to ban assault weapons now. I would not want to take away the people that have them already. But I, I mean, I don't see a good reason for assault weapons. You can't use them for hunting or anything like that. And so I would not be opposed to banning them. I would not take away the people that already have them though.

Moderator ▶ 64:45

I believe we have time for one more question. We'll go, Steve, Mr. to Troy Jackson first. The second Trump administration has resulted in a significant shift in American foreign policy and diplomacy. The president has often spoken fondly of U.S. rivals like Russia and China, and at the same time criticized its traditional allies, Europe and North America, shaking their confidence in us. What do you think of this shift, and if you disagree with it, what should Congress do to express its opposition?

Moderator ▶ 66:22

Thank you. Senator Collins, I want that same question to you, but maybe in the context of Ukraine, which is feeling the shift acutely right now.

Susan Collins ▶ 66:31

Well, first of all, I joined a bipartisan group of senators this week objecting to the import of oil, which was actually a pretty small amount, from Russia because we know that those proceeds would be used to attack Ukraine. Troy's been kind of confusing on Ukraine and what his position is. He lumped it in with Russia tonight. I am a strong supporter of Ukraine and I adamantly oppose the Russians' unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. I managed on the Senate floor the funding for Ukraine, for us to help Ukraine, and we've learned a lot from Ukraine. I've also been a strong supporter of NATO. It is a very important alliance and it's one that we should seek to strengthen.

Moderator ▶ 67:33

Thank you. Phil, do you have a question for the candidates? They could both answer in less than 30 seconds. Yes. If Maine had a Mount Rushmore, who should be carved on it? Senator Collins. Maybe just name one.

Susan Collins ▶ 67:51

Probably Joshua Chamberlain for leading the effort.

Moderator ▶ 67:55

Don't need the reason. Okay, Troy, can you give us one?

Troy Jackson ▶ 68:00

Francis Perkins.

Moderator ▶ 68:01

Any others? No, no. Phil? That is all we have time for. Thank you to the candidates. Republican Senator Susan Collins. Thank you. Democrat Troy Jackson, Antara Host, The Gracie Theatre, and Hudson University in Bangor. On behalf of our media partners, News Center Maine and the Portland Press Herald, and Steve Missler and Carol Horshorn, thank you for watching.