Maine U.S. Senate candidates agree to debates, though format remains up in the air

After some sparring, both candidates in Maine’s U.S. Senate race have agreed to a series of debates slated throughout October, though the formats have yet to be solidified.  

Democratic nominee Troy Jackson and Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins have now both agreed to four debates by the same hosts. 

Collins’ campaign announced the incumbent accepted the debates last week, but did not specify dates or formats. Meanwhile, on Friday, Jackson’s campaign confirmed he accepted the debates as well, but laid out specifics. 

The Democrat’s campaign said the first will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 6 hosted by WGME, followed by the next at 8 p.m. on Oct. 8 hosted by WMTW, and another at 7 p.m. on Oct. 13 hosted by WABI/WAGM. Then, on Oct. 15, one will be held jointly by NEWS CENTER Maine, Portland Press Herald and Maine Public, which Jackson’s campaign has proposed to occur before a live audience and with questions from voters at the Gracie Theatre in Bangor. 

But Collins’ spokesperson Blake Kernen said the campaign has not agreed to a format. 

The timing and formats of debates have been a point of contention. The five-term senator criticized Jackson for not accepting the invitations earlier and had called for a debate during the first full week of September, ahead of the start of early voting on Oct. 5. 

The debates this year are slated to start after early voting begins, a later timeline than the last time Collins was up for reelection, Kernen pointed out in a statement on Friday. 

“By contrast, Sara Gideon and Susan Collins had two debates in September,” Kernen said. “Troy won’t even agree to one.”

Meanwhile, Jackson invited Collins to participate in the town halls he began hosting this week, starting in Lewiston, and called for two of the debates to be town hall-style, allowing voters to ask questions directly. These open forums had also been a staple of former Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who Jackson replaced late in the campaign cycle on July 25.

“Susan Collins has spent 25 years avoiding public town halls, so I’m glad she’ll at least have to stand on a stage with me four times this October and answer for her record,” Jackson said in a statement on Friday.

There are also six declared write-in candidates in the race, though they will not likely be included in debates, which typically require candidates to poll at a certain level.