A Fox News statewide poll released on August 12, 2026, indicates that Maine voters have concerns about both U.S. Senate candidates. Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins has been in office since 1997 and won her fifth term in 2020 by nearly 9 percentage points. The poll reveals that 55% of voters are worried about Collins' voting record aligning too closely with President Donald Trump, while 43% express concerns about Democratic challenger Troy Jackson's alignment with the democratic socialist movement.
The survey shows that Jackson leads Collins by 2 percentage points, with 48% to Collins' 46%, which is within the margin of error. Among independent voters, 14% more are concerned about Collins' ties to Trump than Jackson's ties to democratic socialists. Jackson's supporters are increasingly motivated by opposition to Collins, with 61% stating their vote is primarily against her.
Collins' support has decreased by 4 points since June, while Jackson has gained 1 point compared to his predecessor, Graham Platner. The poll also highlights demographic trends, with Jackson receiving strong support from liberals, women with college degrees, and younger voters, while Collins is favored by conservatives and rural voters.
In the governor's race, Democrat Hannah Pingree leads Republican Bobby Charles by 11 points, with a significant portion of voters indicating that their preferences could change before the election. The poll was conducted with a sample of 1,000 registered voters in Maine, with a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.