Democrat Troy Jackson defeated five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine's United States Senate race on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, ending a 30-year Senate tenure that made Collins the state's longest-serving member of Congress and the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate. CNN projected Jackson's win, and Collins called Jackson just after midnight on Wednesday, November 4, to concede, according to Jackson's campaign. The result closes one of the most closely watched Senate contests of the 2026 midterms and expands the Democrats' newly secured Senate majority.

Key Points

• Troy Jackson, a Democrat and former president of the Maine Senate, defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins in Maine on November 3, 2026.
• Collins called Jackson just after midnight on November 4 to concede, according to Jackson's campaign, ending her bid for a sixth term.
• With more than 513,000 votes counted, Jackson led about 53 percent to 47 percent, according to NBC News results.
• Later Associated Press-based figures put Jackson on 275,827 votes (52.4 percent) to Collins's 249,814 (47.5 percent) at about 73 percent reporting.
• Jackson, 58, a former logger from Allagash, campaigned on affordability, health care and workers' rights.

What Happened

Maine voters delivered the verdict on Tuesday after a campaign framed as a test of whether one of the Senate's best-known moderates could survive in a changed political environment. Collins, first elected in 1996, was seeking a sixth term. Jackson entered the race late, after being chosen by Democrats in July to replace Graham Platner, who dropped out after facing allegations he denied. That late change did not prevent Jackson from building a winning coalition, and on election night the race moved decisively in his favour.

The concession came shortly after midnight and gave the result its clarity even before every vote had been counted. According to Jackson's campaign, Collins telephoned Jackson to concede. CNN had projected Jackson as the winner. At that stage, the Associated Press had not yet called the race, a distinction that matters in election-night reporting: a concession and a news organisation's projection can establish the outcome before the final official count, while the Associated Press applies its own thresholds before making a call.

The vote figures reported through the night told a consistent story. With more than 513,000 votes counted, NBC News results showed Jackson leading by about 53 percent to 47 percent. Later figures based on Associated Press data put Jackson on 275,827 votes, or 52.4 percent, against 249,814 votes, or 47.5 percent, for Collins, with about 73 percent reporting. That pointed to a margin of roughly five to six percentage points, a clear win rather than a recount-thin result, even as the remaining count continued. Jackson's victory was part of a broader Democratic night: Democrats had already secured control of the Senate, and his win widened that majority.

Background/Context

Susan Collins arrived in the Senate in 1997 after winning election in 1996, and over three decades she built a reputation as a moderate Republican willing to break with her party on high-profile votes. That reputation made her a frequent target in both directions: Democrats attacked her record and her votes in support of Republican priorities, while some Republicans questioned her independence. In Maine, a state with a strong independent streak, Collins had repeatedly won re-election by assembling support beyond the Republican base.

Troy Jackson came to the race from a very different background. A former logger from Allagash, in northern Maine, he served as president of the Maine Senate and built his political identity around working-class and rural concerns. His campaign emphasised affordability, health care and workers' rights, themes that spoke directly to the cost pressures facing Maine households. He also attacked Collins for enabling President Donald Trump's agenda, an argument designed to tie a senator known for moderation to the national Republican leadership in Washington.

Troy Jackson Maine Senate Win: What Changed in Maine

The most immediate change is in representation. Maine will now send a Democrat to the Senate seat Collins held for 30 years, altering the state's delegation and removing one of the chamber's most senior Republicans. Seniority matters in the Senate, where committee assignments, influence over legislation and relationships built over decades shape what gets done. Collins's departure therefore removes not just a vote, but a particular institutional presence: a long-serving moderate whose vote was often courted by both parties on close measures.

Reactions/Quotes

The clearest reaction on election night was the concession itself. According to Jackson's campaign, Collins called Jackson just after midnight on Wednesday to concede, a traditional gesture that formally acknowledged the outcome even before the final count was complete. No concession statement from Collins was quoted in the election-night reporting used for this article, and this report does not invent one.

Why It Matters

Jackson's win matters for three reasons. First, it ends a 30-year tenure. Collins was Maine's longest-serving member of Congress and the longest-serving Republican woman in Senate history, and her defeat closes an era in Maine politics that began in the 1990s. Second, it expands the Democrats' Senate majority at a moment when control of the chamber will determine the fate of legislation, nominations and oversight in the final two years of President Trump's term. Third, it shows that even well-known incumbents with decades of seniority are not immune to a strong national environment and a challenger who connects with voters on everyday costs.

What Happens Next

Jackson will take his seat in the new Congress in January 2027, when the winners of the 2026 midterms are sworn in. Between now and then, the remaining votes in Maine will be counted and the result certified, completing the formal process that follows every election. Collins will leave the Senate after 30 years, ending a career that spanned six presidencies and some of the most consequential votes of the past three decades.

In Washington, the new Democratic Senate majority, now including Jackson, will organise its leadership and committees and set its legislative agenda. For Maine, the transition means new staff, new committee assignments and a new point of contact for constituents, businesses and local governments that relied on Collins's office. For Jackson, the challenge begins immediately: turning a campaign built on affordability, health care and workers' rights into a record in the Senate.

Related coverage: Democrats win Senate control, completing Congress sweep, Susan Collins's Maine office vandalised on election eve, and Maine Collins-Jackson race may not be decided on election night.

FAQ

Who won the Maine Senate race in 2026? Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Senator Susan Collins on November 3, 2026.

When did Collins concede? Collins called Jackson just after midnight on November 4, 2026, to concede, according to Jackson's campaign.

What was the margin? With more than 513,000 votes counted, Jackson led about 53 percent to 47 percent; later AP-based figures showed 275,827 votes (52.4 percent) to 249,814 (47.5 percent) at about 73 percent reporting.

How long had Collins served? Collins was first elected in 1996 and served 30 years in the Senate, seeking a sixth term in 2026.

Who is Troy Jackson? Jackson, 58, is a former logger from Allagash and a former president of the Maine Senate who campaigned on affordability, health care and workers' rights.