Troy Jackson unseats Susan Collins, ending her nearly 30 years in the Senate

Democrat Troy Jackson defeated Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine on Tuesday, Nov. 3, flipping one of the seats that gave Democrats control of the Senate.

Collins conceded before the Associated Press called the race, Maine Public reported. Jackson led by more than 5 points with about two-thirds of precincts reporting, according to Maine Public; Al Jazeera put his margin at almost 7 points later in the count.

A long run ends

• Collins has served in the Senate since 1997 and was seeking a sixth term, Maine Public reported.
• She chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.
• No sitting senator from Maine had lost a reelection race since 1978, when Republican William Cohen beat Democrat William Hathaway.

Who is Troy Jackson

Jackson is a former logger from Allagash and a former president of the Maine Senate who leaned on his blue-collar background and ties to organized labor, according to Maine Public. Democrats drafted him in the summer to replace Graham Platner, who had won the June primary, and his campaign began in late July.

He ran on wealth inequality and universal health care and attacked Collins' votes for Justice Brett Kavanaugh and several of Mr. Trump's cabinet picks, Maine Public reported.

Record spending

Republican-aligned groups spent more than $130 million and Democratic groups $94 million, for a record of at least $224 million, Maine Public reported. It called the contest the most expensive in the country per person.

Maine Public also reported that Democrat Hannah Pingree won the governor's race over Bobby Charles and independent Rick Bennett.