Former Sen. Joe Manchin is backing Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine’s closely watched U.S. Senate race.
Manchin, a longtime Democrat who became an independent near the end of his Senate career, said Monday that he plans to campaign for Collins as she seeks a sixth term.
His endorsement puts a familiar bipartisan alliance directly into one of this year’s most consequential Senate contests.
Thank you, @Sen_JoeManchin, I am honored to have your support.
Joe is a dear friend and trusted colleague with whom I have always worked closely to solve problems and deliver results for the people of Maine and America. Together, we have shown what is possible when Republicans… pic.twitter.com/nAJbHgCCuZ
— Susan Collins for Senator (@SenSusanCollins) September 14, 2026
The Associated Press account of Manchin’s Monday CNBC appearance includes both his endorsement and his plan to travel to Maine to campaign for Collins.
During the interview, Manchin described Collins as an accessible public servant who tries to work across party lines and remains engaged in the Senate’s daily negotiations.
“You lose the Susan Collins of the Senate, you’re losing the soul of the Senate,” Manchin said, framing the endorsement around the value he places on personal relationships and bipartisan problem-solving.
Manchin represented West Virginia in the Senate from 2010 until early 2025, spent most of that time as a Democrat, and registered as an independent during his final year in office.
Former Sen. Joe Manchin says he’ll go to Maine to campaign for Susan Collins
“You lose the Susan Collins of the Senate, you're losing the soul of the Senate. Basically, a person you can talk to, wants to do the right thing all the time. Okay, now everybody says, "Oh, she doesn't…
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) September 14, 2026
Collins welcomed the endorsement and described Manchin as a friend and trusted colleague. The two served together in the Senate for years and frequently emphasized bipartisan dealmaking.
Collins was first elected in 1996 and is seeking a sixth term. Her official Senate biography identifies her as chair of the Appropriations Committee and the chamber’s most senior Republican woman, while Democratic nominee Troy Jackson’s campaign presents him as a former Maine Senate president and fifth-generation logger focused on wages, labor rights and working-class economic concerns.
Jackson entered the general election after Maine Democrats selected him as their replacement nominee in July, giving him a compressed schedule to organize a statewide campaign against a five-term incumbent.
The candidates present sharply different accounts of Collins’ record: her campaign emphasizes seniority and cross-party work, while Jackson argues that Maine needs a change in representation and policy priorities.
Portland Press Herald: Former Senator Joe Manchin endorses Susan Collins for US Senate in Maine
If Collins were to lose her election, Manchin said, “you’re losing the soul of the Senate — basically, a person you can talk to, who wants to do the right thing all of the time… Now,…
— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) September 14, 2026
The Maine Secretary of State lists the general election for November 3, 2026, while Maine Public identifies the Collins-Jackson contest as a pivotal race that both parties consider important to control of the Senate.
Collins is the only Republican senator from New England, and her seat is among the relatively small number of contests receiving sustained national attention as the parties compete for a Senate majority.
Manchin’s decision gives Collins a prominent endorsement from a former member of the opposing party and a prospective campaign surrogate who served alongside her for more than a decade.
The endorsement does not determine how Maine voters will respond; it adds another recognizable national figure to a race whose outcome will be settled by voters this fall.
