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Susan Collins defies blue-state headwinds in crucial Senate battle as new poll reveals striking split
Fox News ^ | She-temper 24, 2026 | Paul Sternheiser

Posted on 09/24/2026 5:16:36 PM PDT by DoodleBob

A new poll indicates longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins is ahead of her Democratic challenger in a crucial Senate showdown in blue-leaning Maine.

Collins, who is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate, stands at 49% support among likely voters, with former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee, at 46%, with 5% undecided in the New York Times/Siena poll. Collins' three-point edge is within the survey's margin of error.

Democrats are heavily targeting Collins as they work to flip the seat, which is key to their efforts to win back the Senate majority from the Republicans in the midterm elections.

The survey, which was conducted Sept. 15–22, is one of the first to indicate Collins ahead of Jackson since he replaced former Senate nominee Graham Platner in late July.

…

The poll release came as Collins pushed back against a report by ProPublica that the FBI sought to launch a pay-to-play investigation examining Collins and others. The investigation was later dropped and no one working for Collins was charged.

Collins ripped the report as "offensive" and a "partisan hit job" orchestrated by Democrats.

Jackson took to social media to claim that "Susan Collins is blatantly corrupt."

Collins' advantage over Jackson in the new survey comes even as 55% of those questioned said they prefer Democrats to control the Senate next year, with 43% saying they'd like the GOP to retain the majority.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Maine
KEYWORDS: collins; grahamplatner; maine; susancollins; troyjackson
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If you’re in Maine the chief reason to vote for Collins is to retain control of the Senate.

That, and because Jackson procreating with his second cousin knowingly is just gnarly and a sign of poor judgement.

1 posted on 09/24/2026 5:16:36 PM PDT by DoodleBob
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To: DoodleBob
For the Maine U.S. Senate race on November 3, 2026, there are 8 declared candidates in total, but only 2 names will be printed on the ballot:

Susan Collins (Republican) — incumbent

Troy Jackson (Democrat) — Democratic nominee

Six declared write-in candidates — voters can write in one of these candidates.

The six declared write-ins are:

Brent Andrews, Sigrid Ann Olson, Gina Oswald, Joseph Steinberger, Mike Turcotte, Ashley Webb

Because Maine has ranked-choice voting for federal elections, the Senate race will use RCV because there are two printed candidates plus declared write-in candidates.

So, if by "on the ballot" you mean names actually printed on the ballot: 2. If you mean all candidates legally running: 8.

2 posted on 09/24/2026 5:21:19 PM PDT by Az Joe ("In regards to A.I. - Democrats have never met a regulation they didn't like.")
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To: DoodleBob

Repukes will probably lose the Senate and this fool will probably keep her seat.


3 posted on 09/24/2026 5:24:06 PM PDT by wiseprince (Me)
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To: DoodleBob

Is that the guy that banged his cousin


4 posted on 09/24/2026 5:25:08 PM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Sarah Barracuda

Yes, second cousin, they have two kids together but never married. He is thug!


5 posted on 09/24/2026 5:26:24 PM PDT by Maine Mariner
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To: Maine Mariner

Says a lot about him that no woman was stupid enough to sleep with him that he had to bang his cousin


6 posted on 09/24/2026 5:30:42 PM PDT by Sarah Barracuda
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To: Sarah Barracuda; Maine Mariner

Sarah, you magnificent FReeper…

I know it’s customary to not click thru and read the article….

…but, I mentioned this ghastly item in my inaugural post to this article! https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4396785/posts?page=1#1


7 posted on 09/24/2026 5:33:02 PM PDT by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s²)
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To: DoodleBob

Bring back the Maine nazi. Commies are really ticked off about that one. I hear stories about lawn signs still being out.


8 posted on 09/24/2026 5:35:37 PM PDT by Libloather (Why do climate change hoax deniers live in mansions on the beach?)
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To: DoodleBob
The poll release came as Collins pushed back against a report by ProPublica that the FBI sought to launch a pay-to-play investigation examining Collins and others. The investigation was later dropped and no one working for Collins was charged. Collins ripped the report as "offensive" and a "partisan hit job" orchestrated by Democrats.

Internal polling on the Dem side must have matched this public poll result.

9 posted on 09/24/2026 5:38:37 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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To: DoodleBob

“That, and because Jackson procreating with his second cousin knowingly is just gnarly and a sign of poor judgement.”
___________________________________________________________

Second cousin marriage is legal throughout America, and even more common elsewhere in the world. It’s not legally considered incest, and the potential for adverse effects on offspring is down at 2-3%, which is the same as for children from completely unrelated parents.


10 posted on 09/24/2026 5:43:25 PM PDT by Bob Wills is still the king (Wake up and smell the coffee!)
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To: DoodleBob

This is encouraging news. Susan isn’t much to brag about, but it is Maine after all, and while I haven’t done the research to refresh my memory, I think she has been pretty consistent about voting for party line votes, like Senate majority leader.


11 posted on 09/24/2026 5:44:53 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (Giving money & power to government is like giving whiskey & car keys to teenage boys. P. J. O'Rourk)
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To: DoodleBob

This is why Collins votes moderate.
To hold her senate seat.


12 posted on 09/24/2026 5:48:02 PM PDT by Zathras
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To: DoodleBob

“If you’re in Maine the chief reason to vote for Collins is to retain control of the Senate.”

____________________________________________________________

Maybe, but the facts of the case are damning anyway.

“The major player in the ProPublica article, Martin Kao, is already serving several years in prison for money laundering, bank fraud and defrauding the federal government. Kao pleaded guilty in 2022 to illegally funneling more than $150,000 to a super PAC supporting Collins through a shell company set up to hide the money’s true source.

But the investigative news organization reported that Kao subsequently told federal investigators that he had orchestrated a “pay-to-play” scheme in which he, his associates or his company donated to members of Congress and, in return, received lucrative federal contracts for their firm, Navatek.

ProPublica described Collins as Navatek’s “most important patron” and that “the senator’s office steered government contracts worth millions toward the company while her campaign was pumping Kao and his network for donations.” At the time, Collins was the top-ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which she now chairs. One example of a federally Navatek project was a 3D-printed boat — funded with $8 million from the Navy — that was produced by a University of Maine engineering center”

Maine Public.


13 posted on 09/24/2026 5:51:43 PM PDT by Bob Wills is still the king (Wake up and smell the coffee!)
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To: DoodleBob

Fake polls by fake news is not a headwind. What do Democrat Communists have to offer?


14 posted on 09/24/2026 5:54:31 PM PDT by bray (Thank God for Israel)
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To: Bob Wills is still the king

Abortion is also legal.

So is pornography.

And divorce.

And taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Yet good people frown on these actions. And rightly so.

Prescinding from the legality point, we can use the word “freakish” which is generally a cultural thing.

In many countries and cultures, marrying a first or second cousin is peachy. Look at King Charles and inbreeding in his family tree.

Let’s just say it: in America, marrying a second cousin - and I would also say first cousin - IS freakish, and is along the same lines of tattooing your face, piercing your private parts, and frequenting S&M bars (all of which are legal).

We should not turn to the government for guidance on what is “ok” in these matters.


15 posted on 09/24/2026 6:01:26 PM PDT by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s²)
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To: DoodleBob

Susan Collins is our rockstar. Trump should polish her shoes when she wins.


16 posted on 09/24/2026 6:14:30 PM PDT by nwrep
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...
The poll release came as Collins pushed back against a report by ProPublica that the FBI sought to launch a pay-to-play investigation examining Collins and others. The investigation was later dropped and no one working for Collins was charged. Collins ripped the report as "offensive" and a "partisan hit job" orchestrated by Democrats.
What are their FR nicks?

17 posted on 09/24/2026 6:24:19 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills and jihadists anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: DoodleBob

Here’s the funny thing:

At election time, all of a sudden the term “RINO” disappears from the vocabulary.


18 posted on 09/24/2026 6:37:54 PM PDT by Miami Rebel (RE)
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To: Miami Rebel

Yep, just as the Democrat establishment is embracing the DSA.


19 posted on 09/24/2026 6:39:48 PM PDT by Dan in Wichita
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To: Zathras

Yes, she always finds a way to win.


20 posted on 09/24/2026 6:57:45 PM PDT by cowboyusa (YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA!)
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