Susan Collins, 73, is Maine's senior senator who has represented the state since 1997 and is seeking her sixth term. Born in Caribou, Aroostook County, she is a graduate of St. Lawrence University in New York. Collins began her career as a staff assistant for Senator William Cohen (1975-1987), then served in various Maine administrative roles before being elected to the Senate in 1996. She is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and has served in leadership positions in multiple Senate committees. Collins has built a reputation as a moderate Republican willing to break with her party on key votes, though her voting record shows increasing alignment with Trump administration priorities. She is the only Republican senator representing a state won by Kamala Harris in 2024 and has won all five previous Senate elections, often significantly outperforming other Republicans in Maine.
Collins was born December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Aroostook County, Maine, to Margaret Hinds (a Maine legislator) and Robert Collins (also in government). She is a graduate of St. Lawrence University in New York (1975). She worked as a staff assistant for Senator William Cohen from 1975-1987, including as staff director of the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee. She served as commissioner of Maine's Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (1987-1992), New England regional director of the Small Business Administration (1992), and deputy state treasurer of Massachusetts (1993). She ran for Maine governor in 1994, becoming the first woman nominated by Maine Republicans for that office, but lost. She was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and has been reelected in five subsequent elections, with her 2020 victory coming unexpectedly when polls had predicted her loss.
Collins claims to maintain independence while her voting record shows increasing alignment with Trump and Republican positions
Collins has been ranked the most bipartisan senator by the Lugar Center and Georgetown University. However, she voted to confirm multiple Trump Supreme Court justices (Roberts, Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Jackson) and supported Trump cabinet nominees. She also voted for the Kavanaugh confirmation despite claiming he misled her about Roe v. Wade, and she voted against a measure to constrain Trump's Iran war authority.
Voting History: Confirmed Supreme Court justices across administrations; voted for Trump cabinet picks; voted against Iran war constraint measure in 2026
Collins frames herself as independent but often votes with Republicans
She has broken with Republicans on some votes (notably voting to convict Trump in second impeachment trial attempt and supporting gun background checks), but her overall voting alignment with Republicans is strong.
Voting History: Mixed record of independence, though more aligned with party than her moderate reputation suggests
Collins' approval ratings have fallen significantly, making her the most vulnerable Republican incumbent
Morning Consult polling showed only 36% of Mainers approved of Collins in October 2025. Her approval has declined as Republicans' Maine presence has eroded. However, Collins has consistently outperformed expectations in elections.
Voting History: N/A - polling is not a voting record
Collins negotiated bipartisan DHS spending that increased ICE funding, though she claims to have included accountability measures
Collins helped negotiate a bipartisan Homeland Security funding bill that would increase funding for ICE and CBP by billions without significant new restraints, though it included funding for body cameras and de-escalation training. Democrats have attacked this as enabling Trump's mass deportation efforts.
Voting History: Voted to pass ICE and CBP funding in DHS spending bills
Collins has the longest current voting streak in Senate history, having cast over 9,750 consecutive votes without missing a single one since 1997. Her voting record shows a pattern of bipartisan cooperation on some issues but increasing alignment with Republican positions on major votes, particularly Supreme Court confirmations and Trump administration priorities.
| Bill | Title | Vote | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court confirmation | Supreme Court confirmation vote - Jackson | Yea | 2022-06-30 | Collins was one of only three Republicans to vote for Jackson's confirmation, demonstrating her willingness to cross party lines on judicial nominations even under Trump influence. |
| Trump second impeachment conviction vote | Second impeachment conviction | Yea | 2021-02-13 | Collins voted to convict Trump on the charge of incitement of insurrection, one of only seven Republicans to do so, demonstrating independence from Trump. |
| Manchin-Toomey background checks amendment | Gun background checks | Yea | 2013 | Voted for expanded background checks, breaking with NRA positions and many Republicans. She received a 'C' grade from NRA in 2014, though it improved to 'B' by 2020. |
| One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) | Massive spending and Medicaid cuts reconciliation | Nay | 2026-01-XX | Collins ultimately voted against the reconciliation bill containing $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts, though she voted to advance it procedurally. The bill passed when VP Vance broke a 50-50 tie. |
| Iran war resolution | War powers measure to constrain Trump Iran military action | Nay | 2026-03-XX | Collins voted against a measure that would have required Congressional approval for continued Iran military operations, supporting Trump's war powers position. |
| Venezuela war powers resolution | War powers resolution regarding Venezuela | Nay | 2026-01-XX | Collins voted against limiting Trump administration war powers related to Venezuela, a key point of attack from Mills' campaign. |
| Respect for Marriage Act | Same-sex marriage codification | Yea | 2022 | One of 12 Republicans voting to pass legislation codifying same-sex marriage rights, showing willingness to break from conservative Republican base. |
| Transgender sports amendment | Amendment to ban transgender students from girls' sports | Yea | 2026-XX-XX | Collins voted for amendment to Trump's SAVE Act that would ban transgender students from girls' sports nationwide, moving right on social issues. |
Collins' social media maintains a professional, legislative tone emphasizing her track record and effectiveness. The messaging is optimistic about her ability to deliver for Maine through seniority and committee positions. The tone is notably more restrained and traditional than Platner's activist tone or Mills' biographical focus. Posts emphasize institutional achievement rather than populist messaging or personal narrative.
Announced her reelection bid in a video unboxing New Balance sneakers, saying 'This is perfect for 2026, because I'm running'
Campaign launch announcement video, signaling her intention to seek a sixth term. Video featured New Balance, a Massachusetts company with Maine factories whose CEO donated $1 million to her campaign.
View post →Wrote that she approaches issues 'with an eye toward pragmatic results rather than through the distorting lens of ideology' and that she 'routinely partner[s] with members on both sides of the aisle'
Campaign philosophy statement emphasizing bipartisanship and pragmatism as core to her candidacy.
Posts about her voting streak (9,750+ consecutive votes), legislative accomplishments, constituent services, and committee work
Highlights her dedication and effectiveness as primary campaign messages
View post →Collins rubber-stamped all Trump judges who dismantled Roe, is a day late and a dollar short on standing up to Trump, and supports ICE mass deportation
Mills attacked Collins for confirming judges who overturned Roe, voting against Venezuela war powers measure, and negotiating ICE-funding DHS bill. Mills framed Collins as ineffectual at protecting Maine when it matters.
Collins is 'just another self-interested, establishment politician' who uses the 'myth of moderation' to stay in power without delivering results
Platner criticized Collins' decades in Senate and argued she hasn't used her Appropriations gavel to deliver real benefits to Maine despite promising to when she got the position.
Collins 'should never be elected to office again' and is a 'disaster'
Trump attacked Collins for her vote on the Venezuela war powers resolution and called her unelectable, making her the subject of his most intense Republican criticism for her independence.