A high-stakes Senate race in Maine has taken an unexpected turn as former Sen. Joe Manchin steps in to bolster Republican Sen. Susan Collins, undercutting Democratic efforts to oust one of President Donald Trumps key but independent-minded legislative partners.
According to Fox News, Manchin, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent before retiring from the Senate, is traveling to Maine to campaign alongside Collins, a move that amounts to a pointed political rebuke of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Collins, a veteran Republican seeking a sixth term, is locked in a tight contest with former Maine state Sen. Troy Jackson, after the race was jolted earlier this year when Democrat Graham Platner abruptly exited following a sexual assault allegation that derailed his campaign.
Manchins appearance with Collins, first reported by Semafor, comes as Schumer and national Democrats have tried to brand the Maine Republican as a reliable vote for President Trump, despite her frequent breaks with the White House on high-profile issues. They have especially targeted her support for the Presidents signature legislation, the "one big, beautiful bill," even though Collins has at times frustrated conservatives by siding with Democrats on key votes.
The West Virginia centrist, who served his entire Senate tenure alongside Collins, told the outlet that his visit is intended to remind Maine voters of her bipartisan record and her role in shaping major legislation. He pointed to her work on measures such as his own infrastructure package, passed under former President Joe Biden, and her participation in blocking some of President Trumps policy goals, including efforts to repeal Obamacare.
"She is not a Trump senator," Manchin said. His decision to say so publicly offers Collins a powerful shield against Democratic attacks, even as it highlights the growing rift between Manchin and the party he once helped lead in the Senate.
Manchins swing through Maine on Wednesday will be followed just a day later by a high-profile progressive counterweight, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez heads to the state to rally the left for Jackson. The Democratic hopeful has already drawn other progressive luminaries, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, underscoring the ideological stakes of the contest.
"Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represent the far left of the national Democratic Party," Collins spokeswoman Blake Kernen told Fox News Digital. "That they are all campaigning in Maine for Troy Jackson tells voters exactly how he would govern."
"Senator Manchin campaigning for Senator Collins is a testament to her record of effective, independent leadership and commitment delivering results that have greatly benefited Maine and America," she continued. For conservatives, Manchins endorsement underscores that Collins brand of pragmatic Republicanism remains attractive even to disaffected Democrats who reject the partys lurch to the left.
Manchins move is consistent with his long-running role as a thorn in the side of Democratic leadership and liberal administrations, including his opposition to Schumers push to weaken Senate traditions. In his memoir released last year, he blasted former President Barack Obama, Biden and Schumer, particularly over Schumers support for abolishing the filibuster, explaining that he "wanted Republicans to win the Senate majority in 2024."
"I believed it was the only hope for preserving the Senate as an institution," Manchin said. "I truly believed that, if in power, Republicans would uphold the filibuster, the last guardrail preventing total partisan rule."
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