Ex-Katie Porter staffer runs for Susan Collins’s Senate seat – Washington Examiner
Jordan Wood,a former chief of staff for liberal rep. Katie Porter, has announced his candidacy for the Senate seat currently held by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.In a campaign launch video, the 35-year-old Wood criticized Collins for enabling the presidency of donald Trump and for her lack of action on critical issues, stating that Maine requires stronger leadership. He emphasized his commitment to campaign finance reform and indicated that he would not accept donations from corporate PACs or lobbyists.
Collins, who plans to seek a sixth term, has yet to officially announce her reelection campaign but is expected to face intense scrutiny as a notable political figure in a state that has become increasingly competitive. Wood is the second Democrat to enter the race, joining Natasha Alcala, while several Republicans have also declared their intentions to run. Collins’s campaign responded to Wood, noting their unfamiliarity with him but welcoming the opportunity to contrast their visions for Maine. The upcoming election is anticipated to be closely contested as Collins’s seat is considered a “lean Republican” seat by nonpartisan forecast models.
Ex-Katie Porter staffer runs for Susan Collins’s Senate seat
Jordan Wood, the former chief of staff to liberal Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), launched a campaign Wednesday for the seat of Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
In a launch video, 35-year-old Wood painted the longtime centrist GOP senator as an enabler of “wannabe dictator” President Donald Trump, saying that “Republicans are ignoring the Constitution,” and dinging his own party for “too many Democratic leaders [who] are just rolling over.”
“Susan Collins: She says she’s ‘worried,’ that she’s ‘concerned.’ Maine needs more than concern,” Wood said.
Collins, 72, has yet to launch her reelection but told the Washington Examiner last year that she intends to seek a sixth term. She’s the lone Republican up for reelection in 2026 in a state former Vice President Kamala Harris won during the 2024 election. It’s a perennial battleground Senate seat that Democrats have tried unsuccessfully to flip for years.
Collins’s reelection fight will again be one of the most closely watched races in the country for what nonpartisan election forecasters consider a “lean Republican” seat.
The Collins campaign claimed to be unfamiliar with Wood but took a swipe at his years of experience in liberal politics, which include senior roles with Porter and the left-wing campaign-finance reform group End Citizens United.
“We welcome Jordon (sic) Wood to the race. Neither the senator nor her staff knows Mr. Wood, but we understand that he was a key advisor to a left-wing congresswoman from California and has worked for some far-left progressive groups,” Collins campaign spokesman Shawn Roderick said. “We look forward to debating our very different visions for Maine if he is the nominee next year.”
Wood pledged to reject campaign money from corporate PACs and lobbyists. His experience centers on “taking on the powerful, fighting to get corporate money out of our politics, holding CEOs accountable as Katie Porter’s chief of staff, and defeating election deniers.”
Wood is the second Democrat to enter the race in what could become a competitive primary. Democrat Natasha Alcala registered earlier this year. She also filed for the 2024 cycle against Sen. Angus King (I-ME), who caucuses with the Democrats, but withdrew before the primary.
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Republicans Daniel Smeriglio, an activist and former police officer, and Carmen Calabrese have filed to run against Collins on the GOP side.
Phillip Rench, a former senior engineer for Musk’s SpaceX, is running as an independent.
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