Former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin threw his support behind Republican Susan Collins in Maine&#8217;s tight Senate race this week, a crucial cross-party endorsement that could give Collins a boost as she fights to keep the GOP&#8217;s fragile Senate majority intact.
<a href="https://x.com/TVNewsNow/status/2099658390813262143">Speaking</a> on CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk Box&#8221; on Monday, Manchin, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent in 2024, said he plans to actively campaign for Collins.
&#8220;I&#8217;m backing whoever&#8217;s the best candidate right now. Susan Collins, I&#8217;m going to go campaign for Susan Collins,&#8221; Manchin said. &#8220;You lose a Susan Collins of the Senate, you&#8217;re losing the soul of the Senate, basically a person you can talk to, wants to do the right thing all the time. Everybody says, &#8216;Oh she doesn&#8217;t do this, doesn&#8217;t speak up.&#8217; Susan is always in there, always in the trenches, and when you need someone to work with, I call Susan.&#8221;
The endorsement lands at a pivotal moment. Collins, seeking a sixth term, is locked in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country against Democrat Troy Jackson, who stepped in as the party&#8217;s nominee after the Democrats&#8217; primary winner Graham Platner withdrew after sexual assault allegations.
Every independent poll since Jackson became the nominee has shown him with a small lead over Collins — most recently a CNN/SSRS survey putting him ahead 48% to 45%, well within the margin of error.
Manchin&#8217;s backing matters beyond Maine because of what&#8217;s at stake nationally. Republicans currently hold a narrow 53-47 Senate majority, and Democrats need to flip four seats to retake control. Their path runs through only a handful of realistic targets, and Collins is widely seen as one of the most winnable Republican-held seats because she represents a state that President Trump has never carried in three presidential campaigns. If Democrats lose Maine, their odds of reclaiming the Senate shrink dramatically; if they win it, the chamber could flip.
That&#8217;s what makes a voice like Manchin&#8217;s potentially valuable to Collins&#8217; campaign. Her appeal has long rested on a reputation for independence and bipartisanship rather than strict party loyalty, and having a well-known former Democratic senator vouch for her reinforces exactly that image at a moment when her favorability ratings have slipped.
Recent polling shows her underwater by 10 points, with 51% viewing her unfavorably. An endorsement from Manchin could reassure some moderate and independent voters Collins has relied on in past close races.
No single endorsement or poll can be regarded as infallible; in Collins&#8217; 2020 race, Democratic challenger Sara Gideon led in nearly every survey but <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/troy-jackson-polling-lead-susan-collins-sara-gideon-12292873">ultimately lost</a> on Election Day.

Susan Collins

Former Democrat Makes Stunning Cross-Party Move In Crucial Senate Battle

2026 midterm election

joe manchin

maine senate race

senate majority

susan collins

troy jackson

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson backed millions of dollars in additional funding for a state academy while his son was simultaneously serving as the institution’s legislative lobbyist and working as a private lobbyist.
Jackson, who served as president of the Maine Senate from 2018 to 2024 and is now the Democratic nominee challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, cosponsored legislation in January 2024 that sought to substantially increase taxpayer funding for the Maine Maritime Academy.
At the time, Jackson’s son (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platners-replacement-accused-of-having-kids-with-cousin">and third cousin</a>), Chace Jackson, was registered as the academy’s legislative designee — the employee designated to lobby the Maine Legislature on the institution’s behalf, according to a review by the <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/troy-jackson-cosponsored-bill-sending-millions-of-taxpayer-dollars-to-sons-lobbying-client/">Washington Free Beacon</a>.
The bill, Legislative Document 2092, lists “President Jackson of Aroostook” among its Senate cosponsors. A fiscal analysis projected that the proposal would require an additional $2.6 million in fiscal year 2024-5, increasing to $5.5 million the following year and $8.4 million in fiscal year 2026-27.
Chace Jackson had registered as Maine Maritime Academy’s legislative designee in December 2022, identifying himself as the academy’s “legislative affairs coordinator.” He filed another registration in January 2024, this time using the title “legislative coordinator.”
The elder Jackson had already backed a substantial increase in the academy’s funding the previous year. In July 2023, he voted for a state budget that provided the Maine Maritime Academy with an additional $2 million per year, an increase the Maine Service Employees Association described as the academy’s “single biggest” funding increase in years.
The academy thanked lawmakers for the additional funding but said it still needed more money to keep pace with rising costs. 
Jackson’s 2024 legislation would have provided the additional $13.4 million a year. The bill passed the Senate under Jackson’s leadership but ultimately did not become law.
Maine requires state departments and agencies to designate employees to lobby the Legislature on their behalf. The state Ethics Commission says an employee designated as a department or agency’s primary lobbyist must register with the commission. Chace Jackson, however, simultaneously worked as an outside lobbyist for the Resurgam Group, a lobbying firm founded by Troy Jackson’s former chief of staff and current campaign adviser B.J. McCollister.
Records reviewed by the Free Beacon show that Chace Jackson initially listed the Resurgam Group’s office as his mailing address on his Maine Maritime Academy legislative-designee registration and provided a personal email address rather than one belonging to the academy. His 2024 registration listed an academy email address, phone number, and mailing address.
A longtime Maine legislative staffer told the Free Beacon that the arrangement appeared to be an example of preferential treatment for the son of the Senate president. 
“I can’t think of another time that has happened,” the staffer said of Chace Jackson’s simultaneous roles as a legislative designee and outside lobbyist, arguing that the arrangement suggested he was “skirting the rules.”
The overlap is particularly notable given Troy Jackson’s political rhetoric. Jackson has portrayed himself as a working-class opponent of the political “system,” describing himself as a “fifth-generation logger” and saying he entered the Senate race because “the status quo isn’t working.” 
In an April gubernatorial <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-04-17/your-vote-2026-profile-troy-jackson-democrat-for-governor?utm_source=chatgpt.com">candidate profile</a>, Jackson blamed “special interests, high-priced lobbyists and corporate greed” for preventing legislation he supported from becoming law. 
“I’m tired of folks being told to hold on, wait a little longer or that now is not the right time,” Jackson said. “All thanks to the work of special interests, high-priced lobbyists and corporate greed.”
Chace Jackson previously worked as a lobbyist for Preti Flaherty, one of Maine’s largest government affairs firms. In 2019, while his father was Senate president, Chace Jackson <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/troy-jacksons-son-repped-oil-and-gas-company-lobbying-against-bill-that-died-in-jacksons-senate/">represented Global Partners LP</a> as the company lobbied against legislation targeting its petroleum facilities following an emissions controversy. 
One of the bills subsequently died in the Troy Jackson-controlled Senate.
In 2022, Chace Jackson joined the Resurgam Group. In 2024, the final year of Troy Jackson’s tenure as Senate president, the firm received $182,500 in lobbying compensation from nine clients represented by Chace Jackson, according to Maine lobbying records reviewed by the Free Beacon.
The younger Jackson’s political work for his father also predates his lobbying career. Troy Jackson’s 2014 U.S. congressional campaign paid Chace Jackson more than $32,000 in salary, making him the campaign’s highest-paid staffer. The junior Jackson subsequently contributed $1,833.78 to the campaign, although $1,750 of that contribution was returned.
A spokesman for the Jackson campaign defended the candidate, saying that “Troy Jackson has fought for working Mainers” and that his work is “guided by one goal: fixing our broken system so Maine’s working families stop getting squeezed while the rich get richer.”
It is unclear whether Chace Jackson still works for Maine Maritime Academy. The academy has not submitted legislative-designee registration forms for 2025 or 2026, and the Ethics Commission said it stopped requiring the academy to make those disclosures after determining it was no longer a state department or agency.

Maine Democrats Hold Senate Nominating Convention

Troy Jackson Pushed Millions For College His Lobbyist Son Represented

lobbying

maine

politics

Graham Platner, the former Democratic Senate nominee, is scheduled to headline a Labor Day rally in Ellsworth, Maine, next month, marking one of his first public appearances since his scandal-infested campaign collapsed.
The event, billed as a “Labor Day Rally for Labor,” is being organized by Hancock County Activists and Acadia Action Peacemakers, two groups that have helped organize “No Kings” protests and other activist events in the area. According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/13/graham-platner-maine-event-speaker-01036207">Politico</a>, Platner will speak about the history of unions and the role organized labor has played in American communities. The event is scheduled for Sept. 7 at Ellsworth City Hall.
The Hancock County Democratic Party has said that the event is not an official party function and is not affiliated with the Maine Democratic Party. The county party has nevertheless <a href="https://hancockdems.org/event/labor-day-rally-2026/">shared information</a> about the event, with social media posts mentioning Platner&#8217;s appearance reportedly deleted while the event remained listed on its website.
Platner&#8217;s return to the public eye comes mere months after he abandoned his campaign against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Platner won the Democratic nomination in June and quickly became a national figure, winning endorsements from prominent left-wing figures including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). His campaign subsequently unraveled after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-new-sexual-assault-accusation-rocks-maine-democrat-graham-platner">reports came out</a> that a former girlfriend accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner denied the allegation and said the accusations were false.
The allegations followed months of other controversies surrounding the candidate, including sexually explicit messages sent to women, controversial social media posts, allegations from former girlfriends of disturbing behavior, and a tattoo of Nazi imagery.
Ultimately, Platner <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/platner-caves-suspends-senate-campaign">suspended his campaign</a> in July, and Maine Democrats subsequently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-party-bosses-crown-new-nominee-to-replace-graham-platner">selected</a> former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson to replace him on the ballot.
Jackson has attempted to distance himself from the controversy while inheriting Platner&#8217;s Democratic coalition. He previously endorsed Platner and appeared alongside him at campaign events, but called for Platner to leave the race after the sexual assault allegation emerged.
Platner has largely remained out of the public eye since departing the race. His upcoming Labor Day appearance suggests that, despite his political collapse, he may not be finished playing a role in Maine and in the far-Left political movement more broadly.

Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Holds His Primary Election Night Event

Graham Platner Isn’t Exiting The Stage In Maine

graham platner

With less than three months until the 2026 midterm elections, the GOP appears to be flailing. Some of this is to be expected: Voter backlash against the party that controls the White House is the norm in the midterms; Donald Trump demonstrated in both 2016 and 2024 that while he can turn out enough votes to win a presidential election, a chunk of voters who back him also sour on him relatively fast once he’s actually in office.
Still, one additional worry is the GOP’s poor approval ratings on the economy, and voters shifting trust to Democrats on this key issue. It has a lot of conservatives, moderate Republicans, and right-libertarians asking what can be done to eke out victories and prevent a DSA-infused Democratic Party from taking the House, and potentially also the Senate, in November. Ultimately, while success will be exceedingly tough to manage, there are a few things Republicans could be doing right now to right the ship — or at least stop the bleeding.
Let’s start with policy. While few voters actually vote on it, they certainly respond to its effects. But what can have an almost immediate impact? The good news is that there are boatloads of executive actions the Trump administration could take right now to curb inflation, especially for everyday items like gas and groceries. The bad news is that several big items will be anathema to Trump because of his core ideology, and getting him to sign on will be almost impossible.
Let’s start with what’s easy…ish.
Trump should immediately order the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to shift their attention away from investigations focused on companies whose products are either free or very cheap — in other words, Big Tech — and get very visibly and vocally aggressive with big market players who are legitimately driving prices up across a variety of sectors.
Yes, taking Big Tech out of the firing line will piss off Vice President JD Vance and some of the “edgelord” constituency, and yes, this will be viewed as distasteful and gross by a lot of the Paul Ryan types who still make up much of the GOP donor class and some of the voting base who reflexively oppose antitrust action.
But for my money, it’s pretty hard to argue that <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-accuses-foreign-owned-meat-packers-of-inflating-u-s-beef-prices">big meat conglomerates</a> like Brazilian giant JBS are not driving up beef prices, or that big hospital systems like <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-new-york-presbyterian-hospital-anticompetitive-contracts-increase">New York-Presbyterian</a>, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-requires-ohiohealth-stop-using-anticompetitive-healthcare-contract-terms">OhioHealth</a> (and countless other smaller systems like, say, UCONN Health in my own state, which was accused of trying to hike rates billed to United Healthcare by <a href="https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/community-health-center-stop-accepting-united-healthcare-insurance/3621939/">45% in just one year</a> and <a href="https://www.ctinsider.com/business/article/hospitals-insurers-uconn-health-cigna-ct-22245432.php">expanding specifically so it could bill higher rates</a>) are not driving up underlying health care prices, which means higher insurance premiums. Big real estate players like <a href="https://redstate.com/redstate-guest-editorial/2026/07/19/the-real-reason-buying-a-home-costs-so-much-n2204487">Zillow</a> have also been accused of pushing property prices higher. Federal probes of at least two of these entities are already underway.
But Trump could get noisier about this and use the bully pulpit more, including against drug companies that are pushing inflation-stoking price hikes. Will he be decried by his opponents for engaging in quasi-mob tactics to force price decreases or tapered future hikes? Sure. But this is one area where his Queens-guy brawler instincts might actually pay off for the American people. And haters gonna hate anyway, right?
There are other things Trump could do, too — though they’ll be tougher for him to get on board with, given his own policy preferences and firmly held beliefs.
First, Trump needs to nix all tariffs he has instituted, and go further, by rolling back inherited tariffs from prior administrations. In tandem with this, action should be taken to maximize the refund of all tariffs paid by consumers that were subsequently found to have been unconstitutionally levied directly to those consumers. It is readily apparent at this point that tariffs have <a href="https://www.fox5vegas.com/2026/04/14/tariffs-drive-up-grocery-prices-squeeze-independent-stores/">driven prices higher</a> and hit grocery prices particularly hard. So while this will be tough for Trump to stomach, it needs to happen.
Second, Trump needs to take a good hard look at Vance’s foreign policy push and consider unilaterally drawing an end to military action targeting Iran. This will sit poorly with a lot of big GOP donors, and some GOP voters (full disclosure: Three or four days out of seven, I’d probably even find myself in their ranks). It might not bring gas prices down, and if it does, there’s only an outside chance that would happen in time for November. But if gas prices are a serious worry (and they make items like <a href="https://www.kold.com/2026/04/10/13-fact-finders-war-tariffs-packaging-drive-up-prices-consumers/">groceries more expensive, too</a>), then it needs to be given serious consideration.
Third, there is something else Trump could do right now to bring gas prices down — it just might piss off chunks of farm country. Higher-than-ever EPA-imposed ethanol blending requirements are currently estimated to be tacking on an extra 20 cents to $1.00 per gallon of gas while reducing efficiency. If this election is going to turn on gas prices, paring those requirements back could be a big political boon — and for the record, limited-government conservatives would love the policy, too.
A fourth item, trickier given President Trump’s hatred of windmills, is getting wind power online quickly to keep electricity bills low-ish as power demand surges. Right now, you cannot buy a gas turbine, with major manufacturers effectively sold out; a new gas plant won’t deliver power for a minimum of five years. A wind project comes online within 12 to 18 months. More wind could meet surging power demands and keep prices – and local taxes – lower in states like Texas, Iowa, Ohio, and Michigan.
But while all of these things are important, it’s also critical not to forget actual political strategy and tactics. If Democrats are trying to make this election about the cost of living, Republicans would do best to make it about something else — and on this front, goodness knows they are trying.
I’m unconvinced that much can detract from worries about inflation (I have maintained since I was a teenager that bad inflation numbers are the ultimate political death sentence, and the year 2024 bore that out well, globally). But it cannot be ignored that one reason why Susan Collins remains in contention in Maine is the voluminous dirt-digging and exposing operation that was stood up targeting Graham Platner, which has weakened Democrats in the state overall.
In Texas, God knows Ken Paxton is trying to make the race about Democrat James Talarico’s very fringe leftist views on cultural issues ranging from abortion to transgender kids. Will it work? Possibly not, because Ken Paxton is, well, Ken Paxton. And again, when every time you fill up your tank of gas or buy groceries, you are silently screaming at the bill, who does and does not believe in a nonbinary Jesus might seem just a tad irrelevant.
But shining a spotlight on Democrats’ own easy-to-understand liabilities (Platner’s alleged rape of an ex, Troy Jackson’s apparent ongoing intimate relationship with a cousin, Talarico’s very socially lefty views) could help on the margins. It might prevent a Democratic-controlled Senate, given how tight both the Maine and Texas races appear. It might help prevent Democrats from winning a huge House majority and make it narrower. That could be useful when Democrats try to impeach Trump again; they might not have the numbers within their own caucus to make it viable (if the John Fetterman types of the world prevail).
Shining a light on the role of the DSA and their arguable or overt antisemitism may also help in spots. For example, as the DSA has risen, Rep. Mike Lawler&#8217;s political fortunes have improved, even as the national environment for Republicans has worsened. The trend won’t be evident everywhere, but this liability could strategically be deployed in some races to improve Republicans’ performance.
Another thing Trump could personally do to try to turn the tide, or at least stem the losses, is spend down some of the very healthy funds currently warehoused in his various committees to aid vulnerable Republicans. In previous midterm cycles, the president has taken flak for being stingy with his own spending. Now in his last term in office, and facing a third, fourth, fifth, or even sixth impeachment — and potentially Democrats controlling the Senate, which would make a full impeachment trial a near-certainty — it might be time to stop hoarding campaign cash and deploy it freely to try to eke out some victories not currently in the cards.
The bottom line is that unfortunately, the result of November’s election is probably almost entirely baked in at this point, and no amount of policy or strategic changes will alter the outcomes. However, the real reason to make these changes is not political; it’s because making them will improve Americans’ lives by effecting better policy now, and — at least potentially — facilitating other, better policy outcomes in the future. That’s supposedly why politicians of all stripes and ideologies step up to serve, so hopefully it can be prioritized to a greater degree over the coming months.
***
Liz Mair is the owner, founder and President of <a href="http://www.mairstrategies.com/">Mair Strategies LLC</a>.

Trump Tries To Curb Birthright Citizenship Anew After Court Loss

Liz Mair: Trump Holds The Power To Republican Victories In November But Does He Have The Will?

donald trump

inflation

tariffs

Maine Democrats have another headache on their hands after newly surfaced police records revealed that Senate candidate Troy Jackson was involved in a violent altercation nearly 40 years ago — an incident that included him breaking down a door and punching another man.
The March 1988 incident, first reported by the <a href="https://www.bangordailynews.com/2026/08/12/mainefocus/mainefocus-government/troy-jackson-punched-man-pushed-partner-police-report/">Bangor Daily News</a>, occurred when Jackson was 19 years old. According to a Fort Kent Police report and a handwritten statement from the other man, Jackson arrived at a home shortly before 2 a.m. and kicked in the door after being told to leave.
Jackson then allegedly grabbed the man by the throat and swung at him, striking his glasses and cutting his face, according to the report. The man eventually restrained Jackson until one of Jackson&#8217;s friends intervened.
The man also told police that Jackson warned him to stay away from Lana Pelletier, referring ot Jackson&#8217;s girlfriend at the time and longtime partner.
Jackson does not dispute the fight. 
“Nearly forty years ago, when I was 19 years old, I got into a fight with another man. I took responsibility for it then, and I take responsibility for it now,” Jackson said in a statement. “But let me be clear: I have never been violent with my partner Lana, or any other woman.”
The surviving court record shows Jackson resolved the misdemeanor assault case by agreeing to pay the man $50. A background check conducted by the Bangor Daily News found no other criminal record associated with Jackson.
The police report also contains an allegation involving Pelletier. According to the report, Pelletier told an officer that Jackson had “pushed her around” following the altercation and that she intended to seek “cease harassment papers.”
Pelletier disputes that account. 
“I do not remember making the statements attributed to me, and they are not accurate,” Pelletier said. “This is the first time I have seen this report from 40 years ago. Troy and I have built a life and family together and I know the person he has been through the decades since, both as a caring partner and father.”
Jackson and Pelletier —unmarried <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platners-replacement-accused-of-having-kids-with-cousin">second cousins</a>— have been together for roughly four decades and have two adult sons. 
The revelation comes at an awkward time for Jackson, who only recently emerged as the Democratic Party’s replacement nominee in the race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins after the collapse of Graham Platner’s campaign.
Jackson has already faced questions about his temper during the current campaign.
In 2021, while serving as president of the Maine Senate, Jackson became embroiled in a heated dispute with then-state Sen. Heather Sanborn over legislation. Multiple witnesses told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/us/politics/troy-jackson-maine-senate.html">New York Times</a> that Jackson lost his temper and threw a half-empty water bottle across the room.
The witnesses said the bottle did not hit Sanborn and was not aimed at her, and Jackson later apologized. One Democratic senator who witnessed the incident described it as an “anger spell.” 
Jackson acknowledged that he should not have thrown the bottle, while insisting that he was simply passionate about the issue.
&nbsp;

Maine Democrats Pick Ex-GOP Logger In Must-Win Senate Race

Troy Jackson Admits To Assault After Police Report Surfaces

lana pelletier

As Maine families struggle to afford groceries, rent, and the dream of home ownership, Democrats have handed the nomination to the career politician who championed one of the largest tax increases in decades and backed policies that skyrocketed energy costs across the state: Troy Jackson
And Maine voters never got a say. After Graham Platner dropped out of the race, Troy Jackson didn’t win a statewide primary. Instead, he was selected by Democratic Party insiders at a secretive convention.
The nearly unanimous vote by the party establishment signals they’re satisfied with Jackson’s record and eager to send his failed Augusta-style politics to Washington. Mainers deserve a clear look at what this would mean for their citizens and families.
Jackson’s record in the Maine Senate is a good indicator of how he would legislate in the U.S. Senate. As Maine Senate president, Jackson contributed to a state government that has grown more expensive and intrusive while household budgets have become more fragile. Under his leadership, spending rose, and regulations burdened employers and builders, while lawmakers paid lip service to affordability. Mandates and compliance costs have been passed along to renters and homebuyers, driving up rents and shelving projects.
The consequences of Jackson’s policies hit the private sector first and then showed up in the family budget. Maine now combines comparatively modest incomes with stubbornly high housing, energy, and tax burdens, a brutal mix for anyone trying to raise a family or retire on a fixed income.
Business owners have <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/maine/article_fab13867-c897-46a2-b82e-55239a2e0ebe.html">borne the brunt</a> of these partisan policy shifts, as Augusta’s agenda has driven up energy bills, payroll costs, and insurance premiums. It is simple – when the government makes it more expensive to operate in Maine, it becomes more expensive to live in Maine.
Jackson&#8217;s approach is grounded in greater government control over Maine’s economy. It&#8217;s why Maine’s organized socialist movement is <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2026/07/maine-socialists-weigh-endorsement-of-troy-jackson-in-u-s-senate-contest/">weighing an endorsement of his campaign</a>. Their support alone raises real questions for Mainers about where this agenda could lead, from energy policy to housing. Socialists are really good at making basic things more expensive.
We saw a preview in Pine Tree Power, which would have replaced Maine’s investor-owned utilities with a quasi-public entity financed by the state’s largest-ever borrowing package and <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2023-09-28/pine-tree-power-requires-the-states-largest-ever-borrowing-package-will-maine-voters-allow-it">more than $1 billion in new debt</a>. <a href="https://ctmirror.org/2023/11/11/maine-public-power-company-referendum-vote/">Voters rejected that plan</a> 68% to 32% because they understood who would be left holding the bag. Jackson’s policies have clearly failed Maine at the state level. Just imagine what would happen if Jackson could bring these policies to the federal level.
Aside from his problematic policy stances, Jackson’s ethics are questionable at best.
Troy Jackson has long sold himself as a blue-collar champion from the North Woods. Yet after <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2023/08/maine-senate-president-troy-jackson-locked-in-bitter-legal-fight-over-augusta-home-he-bought-and-moved-into-in-2019/">purchasing an Augusta home</a>, he agreed in mortgage documents to make it his principal residence and said in court filings that he had moved in.
At the same time, Jackson listed an Allagash address in the district he represented on filings with the Maine Ethics Commission, even as he acknowledged living in Augusta. The commission <a href="https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2023-10-25/maine-commission-clears-senate-president-troy-jackson-in-ethics-case-over-residency-rules">declined to investigate further</a>, concluding it lacked sufficient evidence of a violation, but to Mainers watching from outside Augusta, the arrangement still looks like one standard for Jackson and another for everyone else.
Susan Collins offers a very different pathway. You may not agree with her on every issue, but she has treated Maine’s private-sector job creators as partners rather than targets. She backed federal tax reform to <a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senate-passes-comprehensive-tax-reform-amendments-authored-senator-collins-benefit-middle">reduce marginal tax rates for small pass-through businesses</a>, helping family-owned companies keep more of each dollar and reinvest in equipment, hiring, and wages. Those changes didn’t create flashy new programs, but they kept doors open on Main Street and gave employers a buffer against the cost-of-living squeeze Mainers feel today.
Collins starts from the idea that strong communities require healthy local businesses and that tax policy should reward work and investment. Jackson’s camp treats private enterprise as something to be abused in the service of ideology.
Maine can’t afford to send the chief salesman of Augusta’s tax-and-spend experiment to Washington and expect him to govern any differently there. Higher federal taxes, heavier regulations, and socialist-inspired experiments in energy and housing would show up in your mortgage payment, your electric bill, and your grocery budget.
This fall’s Senate race is a choice between an Augusta agenda that has driven up costs and chased opportunity away, and steady leadership aimed at keeping this state a place where working families can stay and thrive. Mainers who are tired of being treated as collateral damage in someone else’s ideological project should reject Troy Jackson’s radical, tax-and-spend agenda and re-elect Susan Collins to fight for the economic survival of Maine families.
***
Laurel Libby is a member of the Maine House of Representatives.

Mainers Can’t Afford Troy Jackson’s Radical Tax-And-Spend Agenda

tax policy

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson held a campaign event co-hosted by an activist who has written extensively for the Communist Party USA, adding another unusual chapter to a Democratic Senate campaign already marked by a series of controversies.
Lorri Nandrea of Canton was listed as one of four hosts of a June 5 campaign brunch for Jackson at the Local 14 Solidarity Center in Jay, Maine, according to an invitation reviewed by the <a href="https://www.themainewire.com/2026/08/communist-party-usa-writer-co-hosted-campaign-event-for-democratic-senate-nominee-troy-jackson/">Maine Wire</a>. At the time, Jackson was running for governor. He is now the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate and will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November in a race that will help determine control of the Senate.
The invitation described the event as a “Brunch with Troy Jackson” and said the four hosts — Nandrea, Linda Deane, Cynthia Phinney, and Jimmy McHugh — had known Jackson for years and “worked with him on important legislation that we believe makes Maine a better place to live.”
The Communist Party USA’s website maintains an <a href="https://www.cpusa.org/authors/lorri-nandrea/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">author page</a> for Nandrea listing four articles she has written for the organization: “Waking class consciousness today,” “Why fixing capitalism is not enough,” “Killer capitalism vs. green socialism,” and “Unions are more popular: How does this translate into action?” Communist Party USA has also referenced Nandrea as <a href="https://cpusa.org/article/tightening-up-our-club-and-district-organization/">recently as 2025</a>. 
It&#8217;s unclear if Nandrea was a member of Communist Party USA when she co-hosted Jackson’s event.
Jackson became the Democratic nominee on July 25 after Maine Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-party-bosses-crown-new-nominee-to-replace-graham-platner">selected him</a> to replace Graham Platner, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platner-ends-senate-bid-with-profane-political-message">withdrew from the race</a> following an allegation of sexual assault that he has denied. Jackson, a former Maine Senate president from northern Maine, will now take on Collins in one of the Democrats’ most closely watched Senate challenges.
For Democrats, the episode may feel like déjà vu. Among Platner&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/maine-senate-candidate-graham-platner-socialist-group-linked-to-ice-attack-tesla-bombings">earliest controversies</a> was his past identification with communism and the resurfacing of his involvement with the Socialist Rifle Association. Platner then faced scrutiny over a Nazi tattoo along with other profane past statements.
Jackson had campaigned alongside Platner during the earlier campaign and emerged as the replacement nominee after Platner’s withdrawal. Jackson has now sought to present himself as a working-class alternative to Collins, emphasizing his background as a logger from rural Aroostook County and his decades in Maine Democratic politics.
But as Jackson asks Maine voters to send him to the U.S. Senate, the political network behind his candidacy will inevitably come under greater scrutiny. That leaves Jackson with a straightforward question to answer: What did he know about Nandrea’s political background, and what role, if any, has she played in his campaign beyond the June event?

Communist Party Writer Co-Hosts Campaign Event For Democrat Senate Hopeful

communist party usa

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was narrowly confirmed by the Senate on Saturday to officially serve in the role, clearing a vote that divided the Republican Party. 
The Senate voted 50 to 49, with two Republicans — Sen. Susan Collins (ME) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) — siding with Democrats to oppose to Blanche’s nomination. Collins said her opposition stemmed from a Justice Department she believes &#8220;has become increasingly political.&#8221; 
&#8220;Mr. Blanche has taken several actions that have further eroded the Department&#8217;s independence, and that is the basis for my vote to oppose his confirmation,&#8221; she said in a <a href="https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-statement-on-nomination-of-todd-blanche-to-serve-as-attorney-general">statement</a> earlier this week.
Collins argued against Blanche&#8217;s approval of an IRS order to &#8220;shield[ed]&#8221; the Trump family and its businesses from audits, along with the creation of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund. Murkowski <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">echoed</a> those concerns and separately criticized the department&#8217;s handling of the Epstein files release.
The Senate voted to confirm Blanche in a late-night session that ended at 4:00 a.m. After his confirmation, the attorney general <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2086015509821038750">said</a> he was &#8220;deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice.&#8221;
 On Friday, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who had previously opposed Blanche&#8217;s nomination, announced he would vote to confirm Blanche in what would become the deciding vote in the 50-49 outcome.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-gets-guarantee-from-key-senator-on-confirmation-vote">said</a>. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy voiced some concern but said he believed that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist political pressure than someone serving only in an acting capacity. Blanche thanked the Senate for staying late to complete the vote and thanked President Donald Trump. 
“I am deeply honored by the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me to lead the Department of Justice as our great nation’s 88th Attorney General,” he said. 
Blanche&#8217;s path to the job began outside government entirely; he served as Trump&#8217;s personal defense lawyer before nominating him as deputy attorney general upon returning to office. He was appointed to acting attorney general by the president after former Attorney General Pam Bondi was ousted from the department in April.

Todd Blanche

Senate Confirms Todd Blanche As Attorney General In Razor Thin, Late-Night Vote

department of justice

lisa murkowski

senate

todd blanche

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) announced Friday that he will vote to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general, likely securing President Donald Trump’s nominee enough Republican support to take over the Justice Department permanently.
Cassidy’s decision came after Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/second-gop-senator-comes-out-against-blanche-confirmation">announced</a> they would oppose Blanche’s nomination, raising questions about whether the former Trump defense attorney could secure enough votes in the narrowly divided Senate.
In a speech on the Senate floor, Cassidy said he had spent days reviewing Blanche’s record, speaking with the nominee, fellow senators, current and former Justice Department officials, and former Attorney General William Barr before reaching his conclusion.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this,” Cassidy said. “But the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche. It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting attorney general who may not run the department effectively under President Trump, and who indeed may not be as good as Mr. Blanche.”
Cassidy said his decision was not an endorsement of Trump’s broader approach to the Justice Department, but rather a judgment about whether Blanche would be able to effectively lead the agency and provide legal counsel to the president. “This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said. “It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances.”
The Louisiana senator acknowledged several concerns surrounding Blanche’s nomination, including his involvement in a proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund created as part of a settlement involving President Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS, as well as an agreement that initially provided broad protections from tax audits for Trump and his businesses.
Cassidy said Blanche’s role in approving those measures reflected “poor judgment,” but argued the nominee had taken steps to address the concerns, including rescinding the proposed fund and clarifying the scope of the tax agreement. “No American should be unfairly targeted by the law, but no American should be above the law,” Cassidy said.
The senator also raised broader concerns about what he described as “apparent lawfare,” warning that the Justice Department’s use of prosecutions against political opponents has damaged public trust. “Both parties, presidents of both parties, have been guilty of this,” Cassidy said. “It must stop. It should stop now.”
However, Cassidy said he ultimately concluded that a confirmed attorney general would have more authority to resist inappropriate political pressure than an acting official. 
“I am told that Senate confirmation is important in interactions with the President, with others in the Cabinet, and is important to DOJ employees in general,” Cassidy said. “Being Senate confirmed gives them greater leverage to push for things that should be pushed forward.”
Cassidy pointed to Blanche’s previous work as a federal prosecutor, his management of Justice Department priorities, and his support among U.S. attorneys as evidence that he could lead the agency effectively.
He specifically cited conversations with two Louisiana U.S. attorneys, who Cassidy said praised Blanche’s focus on violent crime, drug trafficking, fraud enforcement, and providing resources to federal prosecutors.
The announcement came after Murkowski and Collins broke with the Republican majority to oppose Blanche’s confirmation. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” Murkowski said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
Collins expressed similar concerns, citing Blanche’s involvement in the IRS settlement, the proposed anti-weaponization fund, and what she viewed as threats to Justice Department independence. With Cassidy’s support, Blanche appears positioned to overcome the opposition from Murkowski and Collins and become the second confirmed attorney general of Trump’s second administration.
Cassidy, who lost his 2026 Republican primary after Trump endorsed his challenger, acknowledged that his vote would draw criticism. “I’ll be criticized for this vote,” Cassidy said, briefly becoming emotional during his remarks. “What’s new?”
“I have a history with Mr. Trump,” Cassidy said. “But that history does not matter one bit.”

Bill Cassidy

Todd Blanche Gets Guarantee From Key Senator On Confirmation Vote

bill cassidy

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s path to becoming permanent head of the Justice Department became more difficult on Friday after Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said she would not vote to confirm him. 
Murkowski joins Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in her opposition to Blanche, claiming he would further the politicization of the Justice Department. The Alaska Republican also cited pro-life commitments made by Blanche and now-rescinded plans to create a fund for the victims of government weaponization as reasons to oppose his nomination.
While she said that Blanche comes across as “decent and capable,” and had “numerous constructive meetings” with him, Murkowski said she would “oppose his nomination.” 
“The politicization — even weaponization — of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it,” she said. “I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.”
Murkowski added that she was still skeptical that the $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund Blanche <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/todd-blanche-makes-move-to-secure-votes-from-two-gop-holdouts?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=10&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Todd+Blanche+Makes+Move+To+Secure+Votes+From+Two+GOP+Holdouts">rescinded</a> on Sunday would stay dead. While that was enough for Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) to vote for his nomination to advance from the Senate Judiciary Committee, both Murkowski and Collins said they were not convinced. 
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration,” she said. “I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case.”
With Senator Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) long absence from the Senate amid health issues, Blanche cannot afford to lose any more Republicans. Outgoing Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has met with Blanche this week and is reportedly one of the key votes yet to be decided. It is unknown when a full Senate vote could occur. 
Last weekend, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117020029291674756">said</a> that if Blanche was not confirmed, he would continue to “push hard to get the Anti-Weaponization Bill, which takes care of those who have been so badly treated by the Crooked Joe Biden (and Obuma!) Administration.”

DOJ Announces Charges Against Top Members Of Mexico Cartel CJNG

Second GOP Senator Comes Out Against Blanche Confirmation

senate judiciary committee

Senate Republicans unveiled a bipartisan stopgap funding bill Sunday that would prevent a government shutdown weeks before the 2026 midterm elections, though not every GOP lawmaker is on board. 
The continuing resolution, negotiated by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), would keep most federal agencies funded through December 11 while lawmakers continue negotiating full-year appropriations bills beyond the September 30 funding deadline.
The Senate is expected to hold an initial procedural vote Monday evening, with Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) hoping to pass the measure before lawmakers depart Washington for the August recess.
The agreement represents a different approach from the House, which passed its own stopgap funding measure largely along party lines last month. Senate Republicans instead pursued a bipartisan compromise that can clear the chamber&#8217;s 60-vote threshold, making Democratic support essential.
Collins called the legislation a &#8220;major step toward averting a damaging shutdown that only harms vital programs and federal workers.&#8221;
&#8220;This measure gives Congress the time we need to continue our work on bipartisan appropriations bills, which are always my strong preference for handling annual government funding,&#8221; Collins said in a <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majority/sen-collins-statement-on-release-of-continuing-resolution">statement</a>.
Not every Republican supports the deal.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) blasted the compromise over the weekend, arguing it gives away too much to Democrats. 
&#8220;Will I vote for it? The short answer is no. The long answer is hell no,&#8221; Kennedy said during an interview on NBC&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/gop-sen-john-kennedy-says-u-s-has-lost-perspective-on-war-with-iran-full-interview-267643461813?utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Meet the Press</a>.
The Senate proposal includes several funding adjustments, known as anomalies, affecting programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), disaster relief, national security initiatives, and shipbuilding.
The legislation also temporarily blocks implementation of a proposed Office of Management and Budget rule governing federal grant approvals, a provision Democrats argued would give the administration too much authority over distributing federal funds.
Murray <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/minority/senator-murray-on-release-of-cr-text">called</a> the Senate package &#8220;a much-improved CR to keep the government funded and avert a shutdown that no one wants.&#8221;
Even if the Senate passes the legislation this week, its path through the House remains uncertain. House Republicans approved a different continuing resolution before leaving Washington for the August recess, meaning the two chambers will need to reconcile their competing approaches before the September 30 funding deadline.
Congressional leaders have signaled that avoiding a shutdown has become an increasingly urgent priority as both parties head into a closely contested midterm election season.
If enacted, the continuing resolution would fund the federal government through December 11, giving lawmakers additional time to negotiate a longer-term spending package after the November elections.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

The Shutdown Fight Most Republicans Don’t Want

government shutdown

john kennedy

john thune

patty murray

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) hedged during a Sunday morning interview, brushing off questions about whether or not Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson had been throughly vetted in the wake of former nominee Graham Platner&#8217;s public implosion.
Appearing on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; Sanders praised Jackson&#8217;s working-class background and progressive platform but emphasized that he had no role in the process that elevated the former Maine Senate president to the nomination after Platner withdrew. &#8220;I was not involved in that process at all,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;As you indicated, they had to move very, very quickly, and I think the Maine Democratic Party did the best they could under difficult circumstances.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Bernie Sanders doesn’t know if Maine Democrat Troy Jackson was properly vetted.
NBC: Has Troy Jackson been fully vetted?
SANDERS: I wasn’t involved…
NBC: Will you endorse him?
SANDERS: If he asks me to, I will. <a href="https://t.co/EOtF6QNtad">pic.twitter.com/EOtF6QNtad</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2083921695211929716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
Sanders went on to describe Jackson as &#8220;a fifth-generation logger&#8221; and a champion for working families, highlighting his support for Medicare for All and protecting Social Security.
But when asked whether he would endorse Jackson, Sanders stopped short of offering an unsolicited endorsement. &#8220;If he asks me to, I certainly will,&#8221; Sanders replied. The measured response stands in contrast to Sanders&#8217; vigorous support for Platner, the progressive outsider whose campaign became one of the Democratic Party&#8217;s highest-profile Senate efforts before collapsing under the weight of several scandals
Before rape allegations ultimately forced Platner off the campaign trail, Sanders had repeatedly defended the then-candidate despite mounting controversies surrounding his campaign. When asked Sunday whether he regretted endorsing Platner, Sanders declined to directly answer.
&#8220;There were very serious allegations against Platner,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;As a result of those accusations, I and virtually all of his supporters requested that he withdraw from the race, and he did.&#8221;
Pressed again on whether he regretted backing Platner in the first place, Sanders instead argued that hindsight made the question easier to answer. &#8220;Well, you know, it&#8217;s easier to be a Monday morning quarterback,&#8221; Sanders <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2083926150837879124">said</a>. &#8220;Platner ran a very strong campaign &#8230; A woman made very serious allegations against him. He withdrew from the race. Period.&#8221;
When NBC moderator Kristen Welker asked once more if he had any regrets, Sanders did not answer but instead pivoted to broader Democratic politics, arguing that voters are rejecting establishment candidates and increasingly embracing left-wing alternatives. &#8220;The people of this country right now are sick and tired of establishment politics and establishment policies,&#8221; Sanders said. &#8220;They want change, and I and other progressives are going to do everything that we can to bring about those changes.&#8221;
Platner&#8217;s campaign collapsed after a series of controversies culminated in rape allegations, which he denied before withdrawing from the race. His downfall also prompted scrutiny of the progressive consultants who recruited and promoted his candidacy.
According to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/17/platner-is-finished-does-the-same-fate-await-the-out-of-state-consultants-who-recruited-him-01002652">Politico</a>, campaign advisers allegedly declined recommendations for additional opposition research after an initial vetting uncovered problematic online posts and suggested further review. The report detailed broader concerns that warning signs surrounding Platner were overlooked as consultants raced to elevate the political newcomer into one of the Democratic Party&#8217;s most closely watched Senate candidates.
Jackson was selected as the replacement nominee after Platner exited the race, giving Democrats only days to choose a new standard-bearer in one of the nation&#8217;s premier Senate contests. He has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/graham-platners-replacement-accused-of-having-kids-with-cousin">since faced scrutiny</a> of his own after a report surfaced that he has two children with his longtime partner, Lana Pelletier, who genealogical records indicate is his second cousin. The relationship is legal under Maine law, and Jackson&#8217;s campaign has not publicly commented on the reporting.
Jackson will now face incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in November as Democrats seek to flip a seat viewed as critical to their hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.

Graham Platner

Bernie Sanders Can’t Say Whether Dems Vetted Troy Jackson After Platner Implosion

bernie sanders

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