Recent polling shows that Democrats have a chance to defeat Sen. Susan Collins when she faces reelection in 2026, Newsweek reported on Sunday.
This is significant as the Maine Republican's seat is considered one of the best pickup opportunities by Democrats as they try to take control back in the Senate from the GOP, which currently holds a 53 to 47 advantage.
Although current polling indicates Collins is unpopular with Maine voters, she has in previous elections rallied to win in her state, despite push back from both Democrats and those in her own party.
At least two Democrats — Jordan Wood and Natasha Alcala — have already announced their intention to run against her in 2026, with several others, including Gov. Janet Mills, rumored to be considering throwing their hat into the ring.
New polling released by the University of New Hampshire (UNH) showed that 71% of respondents do not believe the GOP senator deserves to be reelected, with even a majority of Republicans (57%) saying Collins does not deserve to serve another term.
However, Collins' campaign spokesperson Shawn Roderick dismissed the numbers in the poll, telling Newsweek that "every single public poll last election showed Susan Collins losing her reelection and every single poll was wrong — including UNH."
Roderick added that "it is absurd to be polling at this point in the cycle — these notoriously inaccurate online polls are only useful for being online click bait. UNH was wrong last time and they are on their way to being wrong again."
Another recent poll, this one by Public Policy Polling and commissioned by the Senate Majority PAC, which has connections to Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, found that only 24% of Maine voters approve of Collins, while 61% disapprove.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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