Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson told Republican Sen. Susan Collins to "shut up" during a heated exchange in the final Maine Senate debate on Thursday night.

The incident occurred after a protester interrupted the proceedings at a theater in Bangor, yelling about data centers and their impact on the climate and water supply. As security escorted the man out, Collins remarked that the demonstrator was "obviously one of Troy's supporters."

Jackson quickly responded, "Oh, shut up. I don’t even know that kid." Collins replied sarcastically with "Oh, right," before the debate resumed.

The exchange marked the most personal moment in the fourth and final debate between the candidates, who are competing in one of the nation's closest Senate races. Jackson leads Collins by about 1.3 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics average, though the longtime incumbent has a history of outperforming polls.

The debate, the first held before a live audience, also featured sharp exchanges over campaign financing, the national debt, and Collins' relationship with President Donald Trump. Jackson accused Collins of loyalty to Trump on key votes, while Collins sought to highlight instances of independence from her party.

Maine Republicans quickly condemned Jackson's comment as unacceptable behavior. The race remains a priority for both parties with three weeks until Election Day.