Two Senate debates turned heated Thursday night as candidates in Maine and Alaska met for the final time before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Both races could help determine control of the Senate, where Republicans hold a narrow majority.
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‘Oh, shut up’
Things got testy between Republican Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, when a protester interrupted their final debate in Maine. Collins suggested the protester was a Jackson supporter, prompting Jackson to fire back, “Oh, shut up. I don’t even know that kid.”
That wasn’t their only sharp exchange. The two also sparred over the Iran war, the national debt and their loyalty to their respective parties.
Collins pointed to her record of breaking with Republicans when she disagrees with them.
“I voted against my own party more often than any other senator on either side of the aisle,” Collins said. “That is not something that Troy could ever say. He’s going to be an automatic vote for the Democratic position, no matter what. We have lost a lot of the centrists, and one reason I’m running again is we need people who will work across party lines.”
Jackson countered that when President Donald Trump needs Collins’ vote, he gets it.
“The reality is that 100% of the time, when Donald Trump needs her, Susan Collins is going to be there. That has happened time and time again. The votes that she throws away are managed votes that she already knows the outcome,” he said.
Jackson also defended his own legislative record against Collins’ criticism.
“She consistently talks about how I don’t get anything done. I had 40 vetoes with Governor [Janet] Mills, 50 with [Gov. Paul] LePage. I mean, those are bills that got passed. I mean, how can I be a rubber stamp with my very own governor, Democratic governor vetoing 40 of my bills?”
Alaska debate gets personal
In Alaska, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola also clashed over the Iran war and high energy prices. The debate turned personal when Sullivan accused Peltola of cashing in on her time in Washington.
“She made almost a half a million dollars last year as a D.C. lobbyist selling —,” Sullivan began.
“I would like to to rebut this claim,” Peltola interrupted.
“Selling — quit interrupting — selling her knowledge of D.C.,” Sullivan continued.
The two repeatedly accused each other of lying to voters.
“I think that Alaskans have had it up to here with the lies and the dishonesty,” Peltola said at one point. “Dan, you should be ashamed of yourself for propagating these lies.”
Sullivan accused Peltola of lying throughout the campaign, saying it revealed “character challenges.”
Sullivan and Peltola face two other Republicans on the November ballot, including another candidate named Dan Sullivan. Only candidates who received at least 5% of the vote in Alaska’s August open primary qualified to participate in Thursday’s debate.
Round out your reading
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