PRESS RELEASE
JACKSON WINS FIRST DEBATE, HOLDS COLLINS ACCOUNTABLE FOR BETRAYING MAINERS
WATCH THE TOP MOMENTS OF TONIGHT’S DEBATE
PORTLAND, ME — Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Troy Jackson won tonight’s first Maine Senate debate, drawing a sharp contrast between his record of fighting for working people and Susan Collins’ record of siding with Donald Trump, billionaires, and big corporations.
Eight years to the day after Collins voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, Jackson held her accountable for helping put justices who overturned Roe v. Wade on the Supreme Court. He challenged Collins over her votes with Trump 96% of the time, her role in advancing devastating Medicaid cuts, and the serious pay-to-play allegations detailed by ProPublica.
Jackson also laid out his vision for Maine: protecting reproductive freedom, lowering prescription drug costs, keeping rural hospitals open, and making Washington answer to working people.
Major moments of the night came as Jackson slammed Collins for her record voting with Trump 96% of the time, confirming Brett Kavanaugh who overturned Roe v. Wade, and engaging in a pay for play scandal with a campaign donor and defense contractor.
“Troy Jackson won tonight because he made clear who he’s fighting for — and who Susan Collins has been siding with 96% of the time,” said campaign manager Hilary Barrett. “Eight years after her vote for Brett Kavanaugh, Mainers are still living with the consequences. Her health care record puts families and rural hospitals at risk, and the pay-to-play corruption allegations raise serious questions about whose interests she serves. Troy has spent his life standing up for working people. Tonight, he showed Mainers he’ll bring that same fight to the United States Senate.”
TOP FIVE MOMENTS FROM TONIGHT’S DEBATE:
1) Jackson confronts Collins about her having no regrets for voting for Brett Kavanaugh who overturned Roe v. Wade.
Jackson: “What would it take for her to admit that she was wrong? She just said that she doesn't regret that, and I just think that that's unbelievable in light of what happened. Brett Kavanaugh was against abortion when she met with him. She knew that was going to happen. And now after it's been overturned, she doesn't regret the vote. Everybody else in Maine and across this country, regrets her vote. I just think it's incredible that she will not admit to being wrong.”
2) Jackson presses Collins on her participation in a pay-to-play scheme.
Jackson: “But what we do know about Navatek is that as late as 2024, the FBI was circling around Senator Collins. They had emails, they knew about meetings, they got a check, obviously, a great big check for $150,000 — a pay to play scheme involving her office and our taxpayer dollars. And then, whenever President Trump came back, his administration dismantled the investigation. Now she votes with Donald Trump 96% of the time. Look, I don't owe Trump, I don't owe the billionaires nothing. In fact, I've spent my life fighting back against millionaires. But I do owe the people of Maine everything. [...] That’s why I’m fighting for them.”
3) Jackson calls out Collins over Medicaid cuts she advanced that are devastating Maine’s rural hospitals.
Jackson: “Senator Collins is like an arsonist who helped set the fire, and then she wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put it out. [...] All of her Republican colleagues called her a team player, she stood with Donald Trump whenever he want[s]— 96% of the time, she votes with him.”
4) Jackson promises to fight for Medicare for all and deliver a health care system that works for all Mainers.
Jackson: “I support Medicare for All, so that people that I know across the state have health care. It's the worst thing in the world for somebody to lay there at night, not know what's happening to them, [...] and be afraid to go and get the services that they need because they know they can't afford it[..]. And look, I got Republicans, Democrats, Independents all across the state that are supporting my campaign because they know that health care is out of control, and it gets worse when people like Senator Collins vote with Donald Trump 96% of the time.”
5) Jackson demands accountability for ICE after Susan Collins handed over a blank check with no oversight.
Jackson: “Right now, what we have is a rogue agency pushed by Donald Trump to go after black and brown people in this country, and we saw what their training was. They murdered a man in Biddeford. It's as clear as that. I don't need an inspector general report, you can see it with your own eyes — and Senator Collins should be able to see that with her own eyes, too. You don't put more money into an agency that is killing people across this country.”
….And one for the road: Current multimillionaire Susan Collins claims that once upon a time, 32 years ago, she could very briefly relate to Mainers struggling to afford health care.
Collins: “First of all, I have not been insured my whole life. I spent a year when I was running for governor in 1994 where I could not afford health insurance.”
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