Susan Collins and Troy Jackson split over Supreme Court expansion
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Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Troy Jackson says he is open to adding Supreme Court justices alongside ethics reform and term limits. Susan Collins says expansion would undermine judicial independence and turn the Court into a political body. They differed at their October 15 Maine Senate debate.
Read the full background
Jackson's answer expresses openness to expansion, not support for a specified number of seats or a particular bill. Collins opposes increasing the Court's membership as a response to its ideological balance. When panelist Phil Hirschkorn notes that the Constitution does not fix the Court at nine seats, Collins answers that expansion would still be inconsistent with a Court insulated from politics. She does not claim that nine seats are constitutionally required. Their later campaign-finance discussion concerns a separate question.
People in this case
Susan CollinsDirectly involved
Troy JacksonDirectly involved
Timeline
1 timeline entry on this page. Dates: October 15, 2026
October 2026
Collins and Jackson debate Supreme Court reform
Reaction
The candidates disagree about adding justices. Jackson also favors ethics reform and term limits; Collins invokes judicial independence.
[01]Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson
The full debate includes court expansion, ethics and term-limit proposals, followed by a separate exchange about campaign finance.
Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson41:19-44:38 Supreme Court question and exchange (Jackson 41:47-42:41; Collins 42:58-44:09 and 44:15-44:31; Jackson reply 44:32-44:37); 46:15-46:57 Citizens United[02]Collins and Jackson's final debate: Court reform and campaign finance
Maine Public reports the October 15 exchange. Its publication date is not the date the candidates spoke.
Collins and Jackson's final debate: Court reform and campaign financeSupreme Court and Citizens United sections
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Adding Supreme Court justices is an acceptable reform to consider alongside ethics rules and term limits.
What is disputed
Jackson expresses openness to expansion, not a commitment to a specific bill. Collins opposes expansion as politicizing the Court.
Sources (1)
- Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson41:19-44:38 Supreme Court question and exchange (Jackson 41:47-42:41; Collins 42:58-44:09 and 44:15-44:31; Jackson reply 44:32-44:37); 46:15-46:57 Citizens United
Arguments
Documented position
Troy Jackson in the October 15 debate
Expansion as a possible reform
Jackson regards expansion as an option alongside ethics reform and term limits to restore confidence in the Court.
Limit of this argument
He does not commit to a specified number of seats or a particular bill.
Read sources and related claim
Related claim
Adding Supreme Court justices is an acceptable reform to consider alongside ethics rules and term limits.
Sources
- Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson41:19-44:38 Supreme Court question and exchange (Jackson 41:47-42:41; Collins 42:58-44:09 and 44:15-44:31; Jackson reply 44:32-44:37); 46:15-46:57 Citizens United
Documented position
Susan Collins in the October 15 debate
Protect judicial independence
Collins argues that changing membership to alter the Court's balance would turn it into a political body.
Limit of this argument
The Constitution does not fix nine seats; her objection is to the proposed reform's consequences.
Read sources and related claim
Related claim
Adding Supreme Court justices is an acceptable reform to consider alongside ethics rules and term limits.
Sources
- Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson41:19-44:38 Supreme Court question and exchange (Jackson 41:47-42:41; Collins 42:58-44:09 and 44:15-44:31; Jackson reply 44:32-44:37); 46:15-46:57 Citizens United
- Collins and Jackson's final debate: Court reform and campaign financeSupreme Court and Citizens United sections
Response record
Responses
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2 matching responses. Newest first.
Troy JacksonDemocratic nominee for U.S. Senate in MaineDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Panelist Phil Hirschkorn of NEWS CENTER Maine asks Jackson for his view of reforms a Biden commission considered, such as 18-year term limits and expanding the Court from nine to 13 justices. Jackson first says some justices lack ethics and accept trips and gifts from people who will come before them.
"we have to have real ethics reform that's accountable, that you can hold people to. I think that we should have term limits. And I'm not against putting more people on the court because this court obviously is not working."
Defended or excusedCase context: Susan Collins and Troy Jackson split over Supreme Court expansion
Full statement and sources
Jackson says he is not against adding justices and calls for ethics reform and term limits.
After the statement
Jackson goes on to say the Court is working at the behest of Donald Trump and the billionaire class, and that something meaningful is needed to win back public confidence. His answer leaves the number of added seats open. After Collins answers, he says the current Court is the best that money can buy.
Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson41:19-44:38 Supreme Court question and exchange (Jackson 41:47-42:41; Collins 42:58-44:09 and 44:15-44:31; Jackson reply 44:32-44:37); 46:15-46:57 Citizens UnitedWhy this label?
The reference point is increasing the number of Supreme Court justices. Jackson says he is not against adding justices because the current Court is not working, which treats expansion as an acceptable reform. He leaves the number of seats open.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Susan CollinsU.S. senator from Maine and Republican nomineeDirectly involvedBefore this statement
Jackson has just said he is not against adding justices. Panelist Phil Hirschkorn of NEWS CENTER Maine then asks Collins what is wrong with term limits and more justices, which he says proponents see as bringing ideological balance and giving every president a chance to appoint at least one justice.
"What we want is a Supreme Court that is insulated from politics. ... To try to pack the court by increasing the numbers goes completely against the vision of those who wrote the Constitution. ... it's inconsistent with the whole idea of the Supreme Court being insulated from politics. ... That would make it a totally political body."
CondemnedCase context: Susan Collins and Troy Jackson split over Supreme Court expansion
Full statement and sources
Collins condemns adding justices to alter the Court's balance as undermining judicial independence.
After the statement
Between the second and third passages, Collins says she is the only Republican senator who voted for Justices Sotomayor, Jackson and Kagan, and Hirschkorn notes that nine seats are not in the Constitution. Jackson replies that the current Court is the best that money can buy.
Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson41:19-44:38 Supreme Court question and exchange (Jackson 41:47-42:41; Collins 42:58-44:09 and 44:15-44:31; Jackson reply 44:32-44:37); 46:15-46:57 Citizens UnitedCollins and Jackson's final debate: Court reform and campaign financeSupreme Court and Citizens United sectionsWhy this label?
The reference point is increasing the number of Supreme Court justices. Collins condemns adding justices to alter the Court's balance as undermining judicial independence.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(2)
Original video
Maine U.S. Senate debate: Collins and Jackson
About this source
The full debate includes court expansion, ethics and term-limit proposals, followed by a separate exchange about campaign finance.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Collins and Jackson's final debate: Court reform and campaign finance
Relevant passage: Supreme Court and Citizens United sections
About this source
Maine Public reports the October 15 exchange. Its publication date is not the date the candidates spoke.
- Published
- Accessed
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- Susan Collins and Troy Jackson split over Supreme Court expansion
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The Dispute Index. "Susan Collins and Troy Jackson split over Supreme Court expansion". First published: 2026-10-19. Last updated: 2026-10-19. https://disputeindex.com/cases/susan-collins-troy-jackson-supreme-court-expansion