In an interview Sunday on CNN, Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson said he wouldn’t apologize for telling his opponent, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, to “shut up” during a debate last week.
The incident occurred after a protester opposing data centers began yelling as Collins spoke.
As the protester was being removed, Collins said the person was “obviously one of Troy’s supporters.”
Jackson responded, “Oh, shut up. I don’t even know that kid.”
Speaking with CNN’s Dana Bash, Jackson said he felt like Collins was talking down to him.
“She accused me of setting that up. I had no idea who it was, and I was surprised whenever he jumped up out of there,” Jackson said.
“I’ve had four debates with Senator Collins. I’ve shook her hands afterward every time. But I’m not going to be talked down to by Senator Collins. I’m not going to be accused of things like that. I’m fighting for Mainers and I just think that was another situation where she was talking down to me, and so I’m not going to apologize for that, no,” he said.
On Friday, Collins told Sean Hannity that Jackson’s “shut up” remark felt almost automatic.
“I was struck by how reflexive the response ‘Oh shut up’ was, but then I thought about the reputation that Troy Jackson has in Augusta, particularly when he is dealing with women with whom he disagrees. So in some ways it didn’t surprise me and the fact that it seemed like such an automatic quick reply was very telling,” she said.