Troy Jackson said Sunday he will not apologize for telling Sen. Susan Collins to “shut up” last week during a heated debate in Maine’s deadlocked race for the U.S. Senate.
Mr. Jackson, a Democrat, said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that he was justified in taking a jab at Ms. Collins, a Republican running for a sixth term.
“I just think that was another situation where she was talking down to me, and you know, I’m not going to apologize for that,” he said.
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Mr. Jackson, a former logger and ex-state lawmaker, uttered the demand after Ms. Collins said an anti-data center heckler during the debate was “obviously one of Troy’s supporters.”
Mr. Jackson, who has campaigned against data centers, said, “Oh, shut up. I don’t even know that kid.”
His comment drew immediate condemnation from the Republican National Committee, which issued a statement saying Mr. Jackson “lost his cool.” The Maine GOP called Mr. Jackson’s comment “unacceptable behavior.”
On CNN Sunday, Mr. Jackson was asked about reports that he behaved aggressively around women he worked with during his two decades in the state Legislature.
“Some Republicans have been spending millions of dollars attacking me and my family, making untrue claims, things that they have had to take off the air,” he said. “So it doesn’t surprise me that some Republicans would be making any claims.”
During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Ms. Collins said her opponent’s “shut up” remark matched “the reputation” Mr. Jackson developed with women he worked with in the Legislature.
“So in some ways, it doesn’t surprise me and the fact that it seemed like an automatic quick reply, was very telling,” she said.
According to news reports, Mr. Jackson was involved in heated confrontations with fellow Democratic lawmakers during his time in the Legislature. He was accused of yelling at one female lawmaker, cursing and shouting in a meeting with another, and in one instance, throwing a water bottle in frustration.
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