Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is calling out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and national Democrats for what she describes as a coordinated campaign of false attack ads flooding Maine's Senate race, just two days before Election Day. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Collins said she has never seen a campaign filled with so many "outright lies" — and she pointed directly at Schumer's playbook.
"One of the outrageous, completely false ads against me had to do with Jeffrey Epstein. And it turns out, in talking to two of my colleagues who are in tough races, that they had virtually identical ads run against them. So this is part of Chuck Schumer's playbook," Collins told Fox News.
The latest Fox News poll shows Collins and her Democratic opponent, Troy Jackson, tied at 49% — a dead heat in a race that could determine control of the Senate. Collins said the ad blitz is an attempt by Jackson, Schumer, and their allies to "nationalize this race" and distract Maine voters from local issues.
"There are a lot of differences between my opponent and me, but I've never seen a campaign with so many outright lies. It's very frustrating," she said. "It's certainly an attempt by my opponent and Chuck Schumer and their allies to nationalize this race."
Collins, who has served in the Senate since 1997, portrayed herself as a bipartisan lawmaker willing to work across party lines — and warned that centrists are increasingly leaving Washington. "Unfortunately, a lot of them have given up and retired or decided they just didn't want to run again. And that's one reason I am running again," she said. "We need more people who are willing to work across party lines. That is really important."
She also pushed back on a figure circulating in the race: the claim that she voted with President Donald Trump 95% of the time. "That's based on a sample of only 30% of the votes. If you look at a broader sample of 90% of the vote, that drops significantly to like 72%. And I voted against the president's policies 138 times," Collins said, describing herself as the "most independent senator on either side of the aisle."
The Collins-Jackson matchup is one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. Republicans are defending a narrow majority, and Maine — which Trump lost in 2020 but has a long history of independent-minded voters — is a top Democratic target. Jackson, a state senator and former logger from Aroostook County, has positioned himself as a populist voice for working-class Mainers.
Collins' remarks come as national Democrats pour money into the state, and as Schumer's Senate Majority PAC and other allied groups blanket the airwaves. The Collins campaign has not released its own internal polling, but the Fox News poll — conducted in the final week of the race — suggests the contest is effectively tied.
Collins has faced criticism from some conservatives over her votes to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial and her opposition to some administration nominees. But she has also been a reliable vote for key Republican priorities, including tax cuts and defense spending. In a statement to Fox News, the Jackson campaign did not directly address Collins' allegations, instead accusing her of being out of touch with Maine voters.
With two days to go, both sides are making their final pitch. Collins is banking on her brand as a moderate dealmaker — and on Maine voters rejecting what she calls outside money and false attacks. Jackson is hoping that national Democratic momentum and a focus on local issues will carry him over the finish line.
Our Take
Here's the reality: Chuck Schumer and his allies are running the same playbook in Maine that they've run in every competitive race — flood the airwaves with false, cookie-cutter attack ads and hope voters don't notice. Collins is right to call it out. The fact that the same Epstein ad ran against multiple Republican senators tells you everything you need to know about how national Democrats operate: they don't care about Maine, they care about power.
But Collins also has a problem with the base. Many conservatives haven't forgotten her votes against Trump, and some are wondering why they should turn out for her. The 49-49 tie shows that Maine is up for grabs — and that every vote matters. If Republicans want to hold the Senate, they need Collins to win. And if Democrats want to take it, they need Jackson to pull off the upset.
The question for Maine voters is simple: do you want a senator who works across party lines and delivers for the state, or do you want a rubber stamp for Chuck Schumer's radical agenda? The answer will be decided on Tuesday. Patriots, make your voice heard.
