Senator Susan Collins and Troy Jackson faced off Thursday for their final debate in Maine. The candidates argued over Collins’ independence from President Trump as the election nears. Polls showed the race is neck and neck with 19 days left. Voters must now decide if Collins still keeps her reputation.
The race's fourth and final debate centered around whether Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent, was as independent as she claimed to be from President Trump.
Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent in Maine, and Troy Jackson, the Democratic challenger, faced off on Thursday evening for the fourth and final debate in one of the most closely watched Senate races of the cycle.
In her closing pitch to voters, Ms. Collins focused on portraying herself as independent from the Trump administration, looking to address her biggest vulnerability in a state where many voters are incensed with the president. Mr. Jackson tried to fortify his opponent's connection to President Trump and vowed to be a voice against him -- and for Mainers -- if he is elected to the Senate.
Polls show the candidates running neck and neck with 19 days until Election Day. Here are five takeaways from the debate.
Collins, the independent?
Ms. Collins has survived in the Senate for nearly 30 years with her reputation as an independent-minded Republican who delivers for Maine, a brand well suited for a state where about a third of voters are not affiliated with either party.
The election will answer the question of whether she still has that standing, or whether her votes to support Mr. Trump in key moments have convinced Mainers otherwise.
On Thursday, she arrived on the debate stage armed with examples of what she described as bipartisanship and independence, such as her votes in favor of the three liberal justices, all appointed by Democratic presidents, on the Supreme Court.
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