The left says its populist message can attract moderates and conservatives in addition to liberals. That theory will be put to the test in a series of competitive races on Election Day.

© The New York Times

The left says its populist message can attract moderates and conservatives in addition to liberals. That theory will be put to the test in a series of competitive races on Election Day.

© The New York Times

Jackson's path differs from Donald Trump's, and the 72-year-old healthcare magnate and investor brings a vastly different persona to his first campaign. Unlike Trump, who was born to wealth, Jackson spent his early years bouncing through foster homes before launching his first company as a young man.

One of the most closely watched Senate races in the country is unfolding in Maine, where five-term Republican Susan Collins faces a tough challenge from Democrat Troy Jackson, a former logger and state legislator. The race is rated a toss-up, with both parties fighting for a seat that could determine control of the Senate. Lisa Desjardins reports from Maine.

The state is both fired up by this big race and exhausted by its avalanche of ads.

"She said that it was a Troy supporter. She accused me of setting that up. I had no idea who it was," Jackson said.