Collins and Manchin Meet in Maine as Senate Race Against Jackson Turns Personal
Photo: CBS NewsRepublican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term, had breakfast with independent former Sen. Joe Manchin and Maine voters in Lewiston on Wednesday as her race against Democrat Troy Jackson grew more personal. Manchin, who left the Democratic Party and retired from his West Virginia seat in 2024, called her an American senator. Collins is the only Republican senator up for reelection in a state President Trump lost. She won in 2020 by more than 8 points while Trump lost Maine by 9. Asked at a New Balance factory about envoy Steve Witkoff calling Vladimir Putin a humanitarian, she called the Russian president a warmonger and a thug. Jackson's partner, Lana Pelletier, wrote in the Bangor Daily News that Collins and her allies attacked her family. Collins had mentioned reports that Pelletier is Jackson's cousin, and she said an ad calling Jackson a creep should be pulled.
Alternative/independent outlets frame the race through Trump's Canada tariffs (CNBC) and through Pelletier's op-ed and the personal attacks (Newsweek). Left-leaning CBS News leads with the Manchin breakfast and Collins distancing herself from Trump. Right-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing; left-leaning and alternative outlets had.
How the sides differ Alternative sources stress tariffs and personal attacks, left sources stress Collins distancing from Trump, and right sources have not covered it.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
CBS News leads with Collins' breakfast with Manchin and her effort to appeal to moderates. It features Manchin's remarks and Collins' answer on Putin, plus context on her past election margins.
CNBC presents the race as a test of public sentiment on Trump's Canada tariffs. Newsweek leads with Pelletier's op-ed about personal attacks and cites Jackson's corruption charge and Collins' distancing from an ad.
Not covering this story. None of the right-leaning outlets Crosswire tracks has reported it yet. What one side leaves out can be as telling as what the others report.