Collins, Jackson Clash Over Medicaid Cuts in Maine Senate Debate
In their first debate ahead of Maine's U.S. Senate race, incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson traded blame over the state's cost of living and federal policy, including Collins' vote to advance the budget reconciliation law projected to cut Maine's Medicaid funding by billions over the next decade. Jackson criticized Collins for voting with Trump "96% of the time" and advancing the bill, while Collins noted she ultimately voted against the final package and secured a $50 billion rural health fund to offset the cuts. Jackson compared her position to "an arsonist" taking credit for extinguishing a fire she helped set. The debate, the first of four over two weeks, also covered corruption allegations against Collins tied to a reported pay-for-play scheme.