Republican facing tough re-election battle in state where Trump’s trade war with neighbor has stirred outrage

Susan Collins, the embattled Republican senator for Maine, announced that several industries crucial to her state would be exempted from American tariffs on Canada, a notable win for her as she faces a tight re-election campaign that will help determine whether Democrats can flip control of Congress.

In a statement on X, Collins said that the exemptions would apply to nine agricultural products, including blueberries, potatoes, apples and seaweed. She added that many of the state’s farmers rely on specialized equipment and materials from across the border that are “unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense”.