Key facts
- Senator Susan Collins is running for her sixth term in Maine.
- Her Democratic opponent is Graham Platner, who has faced criticism.
- Collins has a history of maintaining distance from Donald Trump, a strategy that has helped her politically.
- Other Republicans who directly opposed Trump have lost their primaries.
- Collins has secured significant federal funding for Maine throughout her tenure.
Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, is running for her sixth term in office, facing a challenge from combat veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner. Collins has a history of successfully navigating her political career by maintaining a strategic distance from President Donald Trump, a tactic that has helped her survive in a state that has trended Democratic in presidential elections.
This approach contrasts with other Republican senators, such as John Cornyn of Texas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who lost their primaries after facing Trump-endorsed opponents. Despite Trump's past criticisms of Collins, he has recently refrained from directly opposing her, likely due to the importance of maintaining Republican control of the Senate. Platner, however, aims to portray Collins as not truly independent from Trump, citing her support for his Supreme Court nominations.
Collins has consistently secured federal funding for Maine and has built a reputation for pragmatism, which appeals to a segment of the state's electorate. While some hard-line voters may disapprove of her independence from Trump, many conservatives and Republicans in Maine are described as pragmatic. Collins recently cast her 10,000th consecutive Senate vote, highlighting her long tenure and consistent presence in Washington.