Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins has received a boost in her reelection fight after the Trump administration lifted tariffs on certain Canadian goods.
What happened
The trade war with Canada, Maine's largest trade partner, had strained the state's economy, which relies heavily on Canadian wood products. The Trump administration has now exempted some Canadian goods from its 50% tariffs, effective October 30.
Collins had previously broken with Trump on Canadian tariffs, warning that they would increase costs for Maine families. She announced additional exemptions covering nine categories of Canadian products used by Maine's agricultural industries, which will benefit blueberry, potato, apple, and seaweed producers.
The relief comes as Collins trails Democrat Troy Jackson 50% to 46% in a recent Washington Post poll. Despite this, Collins has a history of beating the odds, having won reelection by nearly 9 points in 2020 after trailing in the polls for most of the race.
