Republican Sen. Susan Collins distances herself from President Donald Trump during a televised Maine Senate debate against Democratic challenger Troy Jackson. Collins tells viewers she is “not exactly his favorite senator,” emphasizing her independence and highlighting instances where her voting record diverges from Democratic and Republican party lines.
In the debate, Collins points to her support for Joe Biden in more than 90% of votes during Biden’s presidency, and she says she has voted against her own party more than any other senator. The sources frame her strategy as aimed at differentiating her approach from Trump while seeking to appeal to Maine voters, where the state has supported Trump in past elections but has also shown an ability to vote for Democrats statewide.
Across the coverage, the core focus remains Collins’s effort to define her candidacy through contrast with Trump and alignment with selected positions that overlap with Democratic priorities. The Washington Examiner also describes the moment as a central takeaway from the debate, underscoring Collins’s distancing tactics as part of the broader contest.
