Her Democratic rival has not yet accepted.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has accepted invitations to four debates ahead of November’s election in a state that has become crucial to each party’s potential path to power in the Senate.
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Her Democratic rival, Troy Jackson, has not yet agreed to appear at the debates, which would all be hosted by local news outlets. “We believe any debates should be town hall debates — with Mainers in the room asking the questions that matter to their families,” Jackson spokesman Dan Gottlieb said. “We look forward to seeing Senator Collins on stage.”
Democrats are eyeing the blue state as they seek to flip the Senate, and both parties are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the race. Collins, however, has proved resilient in the face of previous challenges and is now seeking her sixth term.
Four is a relatively high number of debates for an incumbent to agree to but is standard for Collins, who also debated her Democratic rival in 2020 several times. Collins has suggested the first debate happen within two weeks.
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“Senator Collins believes that Maine people deserve the chance to see both candidates answer the same questions, in the same room, more than once, and as soon as possible,” Collins spokesperson Shawn Roderick said.
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