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Susan Collins Faces Abortion Fight in Maine Senate Reelection Bid
Democrats and abortion-rights groups have spent nearly $10 million on ads targeting her 2018 Kavanaugh vote.
Ahead of the November 3 election, Maine Senator Susan Collins faces a competitive reelection bid against Democrat Troy Jackson, marking her first ballot appearance since the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Collins' 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh remains a point of contention for voters. Portland resident Erin Evans described the confirmation as a "betrayal," as the judge later joined the 6-3 conservative majority that overturned abortion rights.
Political groups are pouring millions into the contest, with Win Senate spending $32 million supporting Collins and Affordable Maine investing nearly $10 million in ads criticizing her judicial record. Planned Parenthood Votes has spent at least $500,000 emphasizing her Kavanaugh vote.
Democrat Troy Jackson has launched a "Women for Troy" coalition across all 16 Maine counties to court abortion-rights voters. Jackson holds a 100% rating from Maine's Planned Parenthood as Democrats prioritize this race to retake the Senate.
Broader economic concerns could overshadow abortion rights in November, even as some voters remain unhappy about the Roe v. Wade decision. A recent survey found that few likely Maine voters explicitly mentioned abortion as their primary issue.