Lewiston, Maine

Control of the Senate is on the line as voters cast ballots in several closely watched 2026 midterm races. In Alaska, Republican Dan Sullivan faces Democrat Mary Peltola, complicated by a same-named independent candidate on the ranked-choice ballot. New Hampshire sees Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas against Republican former Senator John E. Sununu for Jeanne Shaheen's open seat, while Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont seeks a third term against Republican state Senator Ryan Fazio. Other tight contests include Ohio's Sherrod Brown vs. Jon Husted, Iowa's Josh Turek vs. Ashley Hinson, Maine's Susan Collins vs. Troy Jackson, and South Carolina's special election following Lindsey Graham's death.

Democrats need to flip several Republican-held seats to retake the majority; Cook Political Report lists six Senate races as tossups. Turnout has been heavy in Texas, Florida, and New Hampshire, with Trump-aligned super PACs and crypto industry groups spending heavily to influence outcomes in Ohio and Texas.

Sen. Bernie Sanders campaigned across Maine this weekend for Democrat Troy Jackson, who is running a dead-heat race against five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins. At stops in Bangor, Lewiston and Biddeford, Sanders and Jackson tied high living costs, gas and heating prices, and health care expenses to Republican control of Congress, while Sanders called President Trump "the most dangerous president in the history of America."

Jackson, a fifth-generation logger and state legislator, pitched himself as a working-class candidate who has struggled with his own mortgage and medical bills, and pointed to his record expanding free school lunches and gun background checks. Both candidates backed Sanders-style proposals including universal health care, taxing billionaires, and funding affordable housing and child care. Collins, 73, has previously outperformed polling but faces headwinds from inflation, an unpopular war in the Middle East and Trump-related voter fatigue, even among traditionally moderate Mainers. Polls currently show the race tied ahead of the November 3 election.