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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 21h

Yet silence from Maine's own governor, who stood up against more than a few times to get progressive legislation passed.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 21h

Wow, such a great job by the Colorado Governor Polis getting her out of prison and back to work before the midterm elections. Hope he enjoys his legacy and being a pariah in his own state (and country!) for the rest of his days.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I thought the moderator was decent, especially for a Sinclair station. He pressed her for a yes/no response here, & he followed up with asking if she thought Kavanaugh lied to her in another exchange. Seemed like Collins talked a lot more than Jackson, dancing around answering, & dug her own grave.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

She calls it "benign" but health professions dropped that qualifier from the essential tremor diagnosis for everyone over a decade ago. There is nothing benign about the serious health risks and effects of essential tremors. You can clearly see how her health has degraded over the past 6 years.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I bet if you could graph it, the two lines for her ascending votes for Republican policies and the ascending wealth of tens of millions for Collins and her lobbyist husband would be right on top of each other. I think it's not brain damage; it's wealth damage in her case.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

It was surprising how much she stuck to the tired rightwing talking points: It's Biden's fault, it's the Democrat's fault, the socialists are coming for your health insurance. Don't see how that will help her hold the 10-15 percent of Kamala voters she will need.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I've watched every debates between Collins and opponents for decades. This is the only time she was bested. I've never seen her so flustered/defensive. I think she was also distracted by putting a lot of energy into trying to hide her hands because they shake so badly now. Definitely off her game.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

It was something, wasn't it? Easily the best an opponent has handled her nonsense in the decades I've watched her. Troy just swatted away her 'find some picky little fact or error and express outrage' technique that has always worked in the past to fluster opponents. He is not intimidated.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

True. Jackson was relaxed and in command throughout. Collins was shrill and desperate. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he did. Also saw him at a town hall in my hometown Sunday and he was terrific there too. He has found his footing in this campaign.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

I think you are right, but it is the uncontrolled shaking of her head & hands that will be jarring to those who don't follow her much. She tries to hide her hands as much as possible, but every so often you get a glimpse and it's shocking. She will need assistance eating soon.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I think is it reflects the differences in subscriber base. I suspect PPH's is overwhelmingly anti-Collins. Even though they've always had a strong pro-Collins bent, they risk mass defections in subscribers if that continues. BDN's subscribers still tilt anti-Collins, just not as strong.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

So impressed Jordan at how hard you are working to elect Maine Dems and keep these important corruption issues front and center in this campaign.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Also ran a very timid, consultant-driven campaign. Even then, Collins only got 51% of the vote against a weak candidate. The green candidate pulled 5%—made Collins's victory appear stronger than it was. People voting for the Green likely had Gideon as their rank #2 and thought it didn't matter.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Living in CD2, I'd have to say she was a poor candidate above all else. Her race wasn't as important as that she had just moved to the state 13 years before, lived in the wealthiest southern enclave in a mansion, and because of COVID almost never visited the northern rural part of the state.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Saw some of this in Maine's CD2 2024 election. A lot of us diehard Dems just could not vote for Golden. First time I ever just didn't vote for a Dem. I suspect she is losing some diehard Dems in her district who just can't stomach her anymore. At least we got Golden primaried and out.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

For decades there has been no daylight between the Bangor Daily News & Portland Press Herald in carrying water for Susan Collins. But the PPH has stepped up and done actual reporting on the pay for play scandal: www.pressherald.com/2026/10/01/t... The BDN is a disgrace, only Jackson hit pieces.

pressherald.com

The laws tied to the Susan Collins-Navatek allegations are ‘crystal clear.’ Enforcing them is another matter.

Campaign finance experts note that only federal agencies can launch investigations to seek potential penalties when it comes to suggestions of 'pay-to-play' schemes and bribery.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Enough voters will remember he tried to kill Obamacare or any healthcare reform before Obama overruled him. We boomers may be old, but we have memories like elephants about that time and how awful he was. And now we learn Jeffries calls and chats with him about strategy all the time.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I agree that it's frustrating he doesn't share the many good things he helped enact as a Maine Senate leader. Free lunchs for kids in schools/state enrollment in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Medicaid funding to increased access/funding for women's health. SO much more! Why no ads on this?

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Stephen King could get the job down with a couple strong ads for Troy.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It's soooo much better than the BDN editors, who strongly imply Collins in their op/ed that would have been exonerated if the FBI probe continued. Before this cycle, I thought the BDN and PPH were equally fawning to Collins. BDN is obviously much worse, and that's saying something.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It's a tough call, but I think the Bangor Daily is even worse. They run so much ridiculous anti-Jackson material, and give the Collins's team spin as fact at every turn. Just abysmal reporting from the two largest papers in Maine. It's why she's still in office.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Wow that is incredible. Can't wait to see what spin they publish from her campaign tomorrow to try to refute it. This is huge.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

While the local Maine press refused to publish anything the Susan Collins campaign doesn't vet and approve, the national press is finally covering how deeply corrupt she has become. I hope other outlets pick this up and run with it: www.propublica.org/article/fbi-...

propublica.org

The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way

After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

That gets us to 51. Then Fetterman matters most of all. Gotta throw Alaska and a shocker like Kansas, Nebraska, Florida in there to get to 53. We are at 47 now.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Collins is still pretty public facing if ever more tightly controlled. I saw her at a naming ceremony at Homecoming last year, and she still shows up to some UMaine sporting events. Last time I saw her at a concert was before the pandemic though. Never ever saw Golden in the wild up this way.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

It is stunning how many LTEs published by the same author in the BDN and PPH, with the same garbage content. When the BDN published this guy, they failed to note his yacht services ownership.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

So bizarre that anyone would put up with a bunch of strangers/weirdos in the back of their wedding festivities speaking Russian just for some free stuff. It reminds me of Jr. getting the free engagement ring for his first wife by having it filmed as an ad for the jeweler.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I am stunned. I thought I'd read everything on Collins for decades and this is new. I guess I was busy with life in the 90s and missed this one!

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Plus her services aren't that great anymore! I go to King and Collins for assistance once or twice a year on things like insurance snafus. King always delivers, Collins much slower if at all. Maybe 10 years ago she was helpful. Not now.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Aren't races often a referendum on the incumbent? The challenger is almost always lesser known, so it's mostly a vote for or against what you've already seen?

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I clicked expecting to see the race is tied. Jackson is up by 3. Bizarre how even objective numbers receive a pro-Collins slant in Maine media.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

It's really telling out how Collins sees herself and her family as Aroostook royalty. Can't help but sneer at Jackson's family and the other worker bees as way beneath her. Internal polls must be terrible if the mask is coming off.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

It was 3 points. I live in Maine. Polls were terrible everywhere in 2020. But this one is by a pretty unknown pollster with less than 400 respondents, so it doesn't look credible either.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Excellent! I hope he is this clear and concise in the debates. A winning message.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

We already did the work of getting rid of Golden in our district. Got a good primary challenger, got him to drop out of the race a year ago. We can finally say good riddance in a few months. Our energy needs to go in to preserving that seat with a new, real Dem.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

What exactly is an 87 year old doing at a lobbying firm as a consultant?

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I had read in a couple analyses he only had about 100,000 cash on hand. If so he would need to hold all of it reserve for refunds, legal fees, etc.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

It took me almost two years to even find a way/contact info for requesting a refund for my contribution to Gideon's campaign. You can do that and be reimbursed. Such shady behavior. They were still begging for contributions late afternoon of election day.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A happy surprise from the PPH. As bad as both the PPH and the Bangor Daily News are in propping up Susan Collins, the BDN has been much worse this season. Just naked partisanship from supposedly objective reporters.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Jackson is not a good debater. Solid progressive record, but bad in debates. His accent can make him hard to understand, and he stammers, sighs, eyerolls. They are likely banking on getting a debate soon before he has much coaching. Not sure how much coaching will help. Neither will come off well.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

She is not horrible. She tends to pick out little details the opponent flubs up on and harp on that. It is easy to flub since she tends to vote for and and against any issue multiple times. Collins is so much shakier and more frail than in 2020 and that will hurt her. Optics will be terrible.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

He seems to have language under control now. A lot of "shits" but no Mainer will give a shit about that. He's on the right side of all the issues. That can only help him. These debates are such good news for Dems. I really thought Collins would try to avoid them.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I think this is great! Her camp will find some stumble or something and try to manufacture outrage. But I suspect the story for most people viewing will be how much Collins has aged in six years—very frail and shaky. This is wonderful news for Jackson.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I'm thinking of all the people who voted for the Green candidate 1st and Gideon 2nd in 2020, assuming it would go to a ranked choice tally with a Gideon win. I hope people will vote smart. If it makes you feel better to write in Platner, fine. Just make Troy your first choice and Graham second.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I hope Platner will come out forcefully against this strategy. No good can come of it.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Troy Jackson wasn't the official senate nominee till July 25, so that's really impressive!

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

This is so good! What I keep thinking about is how Collins is supposed to be a leader. Her performative votes are such garbage. If you believe in something, ALL your votes reflect that. And if you are a leader, you convince others to vote like you. She does neither on the most important issues.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I think it was Democratic senators and representatives rushing to support getting Afghans out who were stranded (like translators, etc.). Very strong criticism by elected reps of the process, as well as efforts on their part to circumvent gov efforts and get these Afghans out on their own.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

There is audio of her from a ribbon cutting in Maine a few weeks ago where she says she would vote for Kavanaugh again today if she had the chance. So no, she definitely does not support abortion rights. #CollinsWatch is the definitive source for all things Collins, has been for 20 years.

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acadia23.bsky.social @acadia23.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

The audio is striking for two reasons. 1. How very little interaction she or her staff allows even with supportive constituents. 2. She sounds so frail, health has deteriorated significantly since 2020.

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