Troy Jackson tells Susan Collins to ‘shut up’ during Maine Senate debate

Troy Jackson told Susan Collins to “shut up” during a Maine Senate debate, according to the New York Post. The exchange occurred about 15 minutes into the event, as Collins began answering a question that the Post says was unrelated to data centers.

The Washington Post, The Hill and AP News headlines also report that Jackson told Collins to “shut up”; the Washington Examiner headline describes the debate as testy, while AP News calls it heated. The Post says Collins, a Republican representing Maine, was responding when Jackson interrupted. Collins then said, “Oh, right,” in a sarcastic manner, the outlet reported.

The Post’s account includes Jackson saying he did not know “that kid,” though the excerpt does not identify who he meant. The Washington Post headline characterizes the event as the final Maine Senate debate; the other headlines do not specify that detail. The exchange also touched on data-center development, an issue Jackson discussed during the debate.

The Post reports that he said he was not supportive of data centers, while acknowledging that Maine might have to deal with them. He raised concerns that the facilities could increase electricity prices and negatively affect the state’s water supply. Jackson said data-center development should be stopped or slowed, according to the Post.

His comments connect the debate’s discussion of the facilities to the potential effects on electricity costs and water supplies that he identified. The excerpt does not provide estimates of those effects or describe a particular project. The Post says Collins’s question was not about data centers, even though Jackson later addressed them.

Its account does not give the question’s subject. The exchange therefore moved from Collins’s answer to Jackson’s interruption and then to his remarks about data-center development, as described by the outlet. The headlines establish the central exchange, while their descriptions of the debate vary: the Washington Examiner calls it testy, and AP News calls it heated.

The Post provides the detail about the timing within the debate and Collins’s sarcastic reply. Jackson’s stated concerns and his call to slow or stop development are also reported by the Post; the headlines do not address his position on data centers.