Collins campaigns in Maine with ex-Sen. Manchin; Jackson to appear with Ocasio-Cortez

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins campaigned on Wednesday in Lewiston with Joe Manchin, a former Democratic colleague who has endorsed her, according to an AP report carried by The Seattle Times and The Boston Globe. Collins is trying to fend off a challenge from Democrat Troy Jackson, a onetime state Senate president. [ 3 , 4 ]

After breakfast at Simones' Hot Dog Stand in Lewiston, Collins said she and Manchin were "part of every piece of bipartisan legislation that passed and became law" during their time together in office. Manchin said losing Collins would be "to lose the soul of the Senate." He praised her independent streak, her willingness to buck President Donald Trump and her record of fighting for Maine's interests. The AP report says they later planned a stop at a New Balance shoe facility in Norway. [ 3 , 4 ]

CBS News reported that Manchin told reporters: "She's not a Trump senator. She's not a Republican senator or a Democrat senator. She's an American senator that represents her state of Maine." While touring a New Balance factory, Collins was asked about Trump envoy Steve Witkoff calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a "humanitarian" for releasing a jailed U.S. citizen. Manchin shook his head and Collins answered "no." She said she would describe Putin as a warmonger and a thug, and that she does not support Trump's decision to waive new sanctions on Russia and strike a diesel deal with Moscow. [ 5 ]

Jackson, 58, is scheduled to campaign Thursday in Portland with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Newsweek described Portland as the state's largest city and a progressive stronghold, and Androscoggin County, home to Lewiston, as politically moderate. Collins spokesperson Blake Kernen told Newsweek that Jackson's supporters, including Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, "represent the far left of the national Democratic Party." Newsweek said it had also asked Jackson's campaign for comment. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]

Collins, 73, is seeking her sixth term in what the AP calls possibly her toughest reelection fight. The AP said national trends are much less favorable to Republicans than in 2002, the last time she sought reelection in a midterm with a sitting Republican president, and cited an AP-NORC poll finding that a strong majority of voters want change in Washington. CBS News rates the race a toss-up and notes she won in 2020 by more than 8 points while Trump lost Maine by 9 points. Newsweek said Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]