Troy Jackson Won't Apologize to Susan Collins for 'Shut Up' Jab

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson is refusing to back down. Asked on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday whether he regrets telling Republican Sen. Susan Collins to “shut up” during their final debate, Jackson told host Dana Bash, “No. I’m not going to be talked down to by Sen. Collins,” according to a clip of the interview shared on X. He also said, “I’m not gonna apologize,” according to a clip posted by the show’s official account on X.

CNN previewed the exchange Saturday night, reporting that Jackson told Bash he doesn’t regret telling Collins to “shut up” during a debate this week. CNN said Bash’s full interview with Jackson would air Sunday at 9 a.m. ET.

BASH: There was a protester during your debate with Susan Collins. She responded by saying 'this must be a Troy Jackson supporter' and you told the senator 'shut up.' Do you regret saying that?

TROY JACKSON: No. I'm not going to be talked down to by Sen. Collins. I'm not going… pic.twitter.com/rHzWxmAvob

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 18, 2026

What happened at the debate

The moment came Thursday night in a Bangor theater, at the last of four debates between Collins and Jackson, according to the Associated Press. A protester opposing data centers began yelling while Collins was speaking, the AP reported. As moderators asked for the protester to be removed, Collins suggested the shouting demonstrator was one of Jackson’s supporters, according to the AP.

Jackson shot back by telling the senator to “shut up” and saying he did not even know the protester, the AP reported.

The Maine Republican Party said in a social media post after the debate that Jackson’s comment was “unacceptable behavior,” according to the AP. Jackson’s campaign declined to comment on the exchange at the time, the AP reported.

Jackson doubles down

By Friday, Jackson was already signaling he would not walk it back. Asked by CBS13 whether he regretted the remark, Jackson answered, “No,” according to WGME. He said Collins “accused me of setting that up, which is completely untrue,” and argued that her campaign “spent millions of dollars attacking me, my family,” WGME reported.

Jackson told CBS13 he is not going to mince words anymore, according to WGME. He added that he is “just not going to get pushed around by someone like her or Donald Trump,” WGME reported.

The Collins campaign fired back. “This is yet another example of Troy Jackson’s angry outbursts with female colleagues, and it raises a serious question about how he handles women who disagree with him,” a Collins campaign spokesperson told CBS13, according to WGME. The Collins campaign also disputes Jackson’s claim that some of its ads had to be taken down, WGME reported.

That line of attack is already on Maine airwaves. Senate Leadership Fund, the Republican super PAC, said Friday it released a new ad in Maine focused on what it calls Jackson’s “history of aggression and intimidation toward women,” according to the group’s announcement.

Why it matters

The Maine seat is considered crucial in the fight for a Senate majority, according to the AP. Collins, who is seeking her sixth term, has tried to distance herself from President Donald Trump during the debates, the AP reported, while Jackson argued at the debate that “100% of the time when Donald Trump goes to Susan Collins for a vote, he gets it.”

Money is pouring into the race. Jackson’s campaign said it raised $20.4 million in the third quarter, his first quarter of fundraising after entering the race late, while Collins’ campaign said she raised $5.2 million in the same period, according to the AP. Collins began the race with a considerable fundraising advantage, having raised more than $18 million by the end of June, the AP reported.

For Republicans, Jackson’s refusal to apologize hands the Collins campaign a fresh talking point in the closing weeks of one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country.

Sources

• Aaron Rupar on X: CNN State of the Union clip of Troy Jackson
• CNN State of the Union on X: Troy Jackson interview clip
• CNN: Troy Jackson tells Dana Bash he has no apologies for ‘shut-up’ debate moment
• Associated Press via WDSU: Troy Jackson tells Susan Collins to ‘shut up’ during heated Maine Senate debate
• WGME: ‘Oh, shut up’: Troy Jackson defends heated moment with Sen. Collins
• Senate Leadership Fund: New Ad: Troy Jackson Can’t Be Trusted

Reporting by Daily Beltway.