In a hot race for the Senate seat in Maine on Tuesday, a debate between incumbent Susan Collins (Con-cerned) and challenger Troy Jackson (Democrat) saw Collins defending her record on topics like ICE, abortion, her vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and dwindling rural healthcare access.
Jackson, a logger and former state legislator, hammered Suddenly Concerned Susan for her record of voting with Trump 96% of the time, which she disputed.
“I don’t owe Trump. I don’t owe the billionaires nothing,” Jackson said. “In fact, I’ve spent my life fighting back against billionaires. But I do owe the people of Maine everything.”
When the topic of rural healthcare was raised, things got feisty and contested.
The “One Big Ugly Bill” brought huge cuts to Medicaid. Collins said she voted against the bill in the end, but Jackson hammered her for voting to advance the bill.
Collins claimed if she had not voted to advance the bill, she wouldn’t have been able to offer a $50 billion fund to help rural health care.
Jackson said the fund was a pittance. “You know, Sen. Collins is like an arsonist who helped set the fire and then she wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put it out,” Jackson said.
Collins then revealed her deep empathy with the inunsured and underinsured.
Jackson supports Medicare for All.