Augusta, ME – Yesterday, Maine Democrats called out Susan Collins for her “support for lobbyists,” her “financial ties to large corporations,” and “profiting from big corporations and the war in Iran.”

Watch coverage here:

WVII: Maine Democrats say Sen. Susan Collins is loyal to big corporations, not Mainers

August 20, 2026

• Maine Democrats are calling out Senator Susan Collins for what they say is 30 years of supporting big corporations and failing Mainers.

• The Maine Democratic Party is holding a series of protests during the Senate’s summer recess.

• On Thursday, Democrats made their third stop on the “Retire Susan” Recess Tour, outside Sen. Collins’ office in Bangor.

• “At the end of the day, Collins’ campaign is backed by billionaires, private equity executives, insurance companies, and other powerful interests, because they know she’ll deliver for them when it counts,” said Imke Schessler, Vice Chair of the Maine Democratic Party.

• Members took aim at Collins’ support for lobbyists, claiming she is profiting from big corporations and the war in Iran.
  

• “This is a people’s Democracy, we deserve a senator that will reject corruption and be loyal to us, not to corporations,” said Rep. Ambureen Rana, (D)-House District 21.

WABI: Maine Democrats target Sen. Collins on Bangor stop of ‘Retire Susan’ tour

August 20, 2026

• Maine Democrats made a stop in Bangor Thursday for their “Retire Susan” recess tour.

• Speakers at the stop said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has “sold out” Maine families and increased her own net worth while Mainers struggle.
  

• Maine Democratic Party Vice Chair Imke Schessler said Collins has failed to vote against members of Congress becoming lobbyists seven times.

• Schessler said Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson got into politics for the opposite reason. She said after Jackson watched powerful interests exploit workers, he stood up for them himself.

• “Troy has spent his career fighting for the people on the other side of that equation, lowering prescription drug costs, expanding health care, winning collective bargaining rights for loggers, and investing in rural Maine,” Schessler said.

• Rep. Amy Roeder, a Democrat, said Jackson stood with advocates pushing to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for rising prescription prices.

• “Troy Jackson stood beside us when he advocated for holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for skyrocketing prescription prices. Susan Collins has them on speed dial,” Roeder said.

• Rep. Ambureen Rana, a Democrat, said working people are being squeezed while wealthy and well-connected people continue to get richer.

WGME Coverage of Retire Susan Recess Tour in Bangor

Anchor: And Senator Susan Collins is also facing pressure from the Maine Democratic Party as a whole, which took its case against her to Bangor on Thursday. Democrats held the third stop of their Retire Susan recess tour outside Collins office, accusing her of siding with corporate interests over Mainers.

Schessler: At the end of the day, Collins’ campaign is backed by billionaires, private equity executives, insurance companies and other powerful interests because they know she’ll deliver for them when it counts.

Rana: This is the people’s democracy. We deserve a senator that will reject corruption and be loyal to us, not the corporations.