Maine Senate race: Collins and Jackson contest a seat as polls tighten
Republican Sen. Susan Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson in Maine's Senate race, with polls reported as very close. Two right-leaning outlets cover a Collins-aligned ad about a cell tower in Jackson's hometown and the race's meaning for the GOP in New England.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 2Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent, is running for re-election to the US Senate from Maine against Democrat Troy Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate. Fox NewsR “Susan Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson in Maine's Senate race as New England's last Republican senator fights to prove centrism still works.” Read at Fox News ↗ New York PostR “Maine Senate hopeful Troy Jackson” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2The two outlets describe the polls differently: the New York Post says Collins has a 0.2-point edge in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate, while Fox News contributor David Marcus writes that Jackson has a slight lead. New York PostR “Collins currently has a 0.2 percentage point edge over Jackson in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls.” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “In the Pine Tree State, Democrat Troy Jackson has a slight lead in the polls.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1The New York Post reports on a new ad backing Collins by Ronnie Pelletier, a firefighter from Jackson's hometown of Allagash, whose wedding Jackson officiated during the pandemic. New York PostR “A man whose wedding Maine Senate hopeful Troy Jackson officiated during the pandemic is now throwing his weight behind incumbent Sen. Susan Collins” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1In the ad, Pelletier says a cell tower was built on a family member's property after Jackson showed company representatives around, rather than on a town-owned schoolhouse lot that had been suggested as the best site. New York PostR “The tower was then built on one of Troy’s family members’ properties, and the tower went down there.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Robert Parsloe, owner of Wireless Partners, LLC, which installed the tower, strongly disputed the insinuation and called the location a coincidence, saying the company found a willing landowner and had looked at several options, including the schoolhouse. Allies of Jackson also dispute Pelletier's account and say Jackson had no undue influence. New York PostR “Robert Parsloe, the owner of Wireless Partners, LLC, which installed the cellphone tower in Allagash strongly disputed Pelletier’s insinuations”“Parsloe acknowledged that his company looked at various options including the schoolhouse before landing on the location it chose.”“insisting that he didn’t have undue influence on the tower being constructed on his family’s property.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1The Post says the landowners are the parents of Lana Pelletier, Jackson's longtime partner and the mother of his children, and that it is unclear how much rent they receive. It cites the Maine Wire as reporting that Lana Pelletier is Jackson's second cousin. Ronnie Pelletier is not related to Louis and Patricia. New York PostR “Louis and Patricia, who aren’t related to Ronnie Pelletier, are the parents of Lana Pelletier, who is Jackson’s longtime partner and the mother of his children.”“It’s unclear how much Jackson’s in-laws are making” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1Pelletier also gave an interview to MS NOW in which he criticised Jackson's debate performance and said Collins did better. New York PostR “credited Collins for having a stronger debate performance against him” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1In his opinion column, Marcus quotes Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby praising Collins's constituent services and saying Jackson is responsible for a 70% rise in electricity costs and backed a budget that grew 50%. These are Libby's claims, relayed without independent verification. Fox NewsR “During Jackson’s time in the Senate, he is responsible for our electricity costs going up 70%,”“He supported a budget that went up 50%.” Read at Fox News ↗ Right · 1Marcus notes Collins campaigned this week with former Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, while Jackson campaigned with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He argues a Collins win would show centrism still works for Republicans in New England, and a loss would push the party toward harder-edged figures. Fox NewsR “Collins was campaigning this week with former moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, while Jackson barnstormed with far-left New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.”“If Maine Republicans can save Susan Collins once again, it will show that the GOP really can” Read at Fox News ↗
Right · 2Both pieces recall Collins's record of beating expectations: the Post says she has a history of dramatically overperforming polls, particularly in 2020. New York PostR “She has a history of dramatically overperforming polls, particularly in the 2020 election cycle.” Read at New York Post ↗ Fox NewsR “Collins has pulled a lot of electoral footballs from Democrat Charlie Browns” Read at Fox News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present the race from a Collins-friendly angle. The Post leads with a former friend's attack ad on Jackson; Fox's opinion column casts the race as a test of GOP centrism in New England.
- Emphasis
- Allegations of family benefit from the cell tower, Jackson's debate performance, Collins's bipartisanship and community presence, and Jackson's ties to the progressive left.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither piece quotes a Jackson campaign response or Democratic voices directly, or details Jackson's own platform.
- Charged language
- “scathing new ad”“startling claim”“far-left”“bare knuckle brawlers”
- For example
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“in a scathing new ad” — New York Post
“Jackson barnstormed with far-left New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.” — Fox News
What every side reports
- Susan Collins is the Republican incumbent and Troy Jackson her Democratic challenger in Maine's Senate race.
- The race is described as very close.
- Collins has a history of beating expectations.
Where accounts differ
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Who leads in the polls
- Right
- The New York Post says Collins leads by 0.2 points in the RealClearPolitics aggregate; Fox's Marcus says Jackson has a slight lead.
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Whether Jackson improperly influenced the cell tower's placement
- Right
- Pelletier's ad implies Jackson steered the tower to his in-laws' land; the installer calls it a coincidence and Jackson's allies deny undue influence.
Susan Collins person
Presented by both outlets as the centrist incumbent, backed by Pelletier's ad and praised by Libby for bipartisanship and constituent service. She campaigned with Joe Manchin.
“Susan Collins has proven that she is willing and able to work in a bipartisan manner” — Fox News
“throwing his weight behind incumbent Sen. Susan Collins” — New York Post
Troy Jackson person
Portrayed as the Democratic challenger who campaigned with Ocasio-Cortez and faces the cell tower allegation. His allies deny undue influence. Neither piece quotes Jackson directly, beyond a Libby-relayed remark that he says Collins doesn't hold town halls.
“Allies of Jackson have also strongly disputed Ronnie Pelletier’s characterization of events” — New York Post
“it's kind of hysterical for Troy Jackson to say she doesn’t hold town halls.” — Fox News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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Troy Jackson officiated his wedding, but this Mainer is making a startling claim against him
Critical News report that foregrounds a Collins-aligned ad attacking Jackson over a cell tower on in-laws' land, while including the installer's denial.
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Fox NewsR · · Opinion
DAVID MARCUS: The future of the GOP in New England rides on Maine’s Senate vote
Sympathetic Opinion column treating Collins as the embodiment of viable GOP centrism, relying on Republican and voter quotes and describing Jackson as aligned with the far left.
- 25 Oct 18:48 First New York PostR Troy Jackson officiated his wedding, but this Mainer is making a startling claim against him
- 25 Oct 23:23 +4h 35m Fox NewsR DAVID MARCUS: The future of the GOP in New England rides on Maine’s Senate vote Opinion
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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