LEILA FADEL, HOST:
The 2026 midterms are exactly four weeks away. And starting today, each Tuesday this month, MORNING EDITION is reporting on the ground in pivotal states that will decide the balance of power in this country. One of the more consequential U.S. Senate races is happening here in Maine, which is why you'll be hearing from me throughout the show from across the state. The race everyone is watching is the Senate, where Republican incumbent Susan Collins is campaigning to hold on to her seat by defeating Democrat Troy Jackson.
Maine Public's chief political correspondent, Steve Mistler, joins me now here in Portland, Maine. Good morning, Steve.
STEVE MISTLER, BYLINE: Good to be with you.
FADEL: It's good to see you in person. So, so much has happened in this race over the past year. Democrat Troy Jackson joined the contest pretty late, about two months ago. Jackson, of course, was nominated by the Maine Democratic Party after Graham Platner withdrew because of a sexual assault allegation. What's the vibe been like here?
MISTLER: Yeah, I think exhaustion. We have an exhausted electorate, to be honest. Between the nonstop ads, polling requests and text messages, I just think voters have had enough. And this has been a long campaign that began more than a year ago when Platner got into the race. So...
FADEL: Yeah.
MISTLER: ...It's been a long year.
FADEL: So the Democratic nominee, Troy Jackson - he's had a really compressed schedule to try and beat out a longtime incumbent. How's that going?
MISTLER: Yeah, it's been tough not only in the logistical sense of having to hire staff, but also just getting his footing and presenting himself to voters. Jackson has been involved in Maine politics for two decades, but he's not a household name here, and that's meant introducing himself to voters while Republicans and affiliated groups race to define him via withering blitz of advertising and mailers and that sort of thing.
FADEL: Is there anything to glean from polls or other data about how close this race is?
MISTLER: Well, most of the polls have shown a statistical dead heat, regardless of who is leading. But there are signals in the surveys that seem meaningful. And one is that Senator Collins' central reelection message that she's this influential force and brings federal dollars to Maine is resonating. We've seen a couple of surveys in which voters believe Collins is better at bringing federal resources to the state, and that's basically her reelection argument in a nutshell. And at the same time, polls are showing that they want Democrats to control the Senate as a check against the president.
FADEL: Now, you mentioned that Republican groups have been racing to define Jackson, but how are Democrats trying to erode Collins' support in the state?
MISTLER: Well, the primary message from Democrats is to link her as closely as possible to President Trump and to attack her image as an independent senator who bucks the party. Jackson likes to talk about the number of times she's voted with the president.
FADEL: Maine Public's Steve Mistler. Thank you, Steve.
MISTLER: Thank you.
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