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By PATRICK WHITTLE and KIMBERLEE KRUESI, Related Press
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Republican Sen. Susan Collins introduced her reelection bid Tuesday, betting that she will be able to maintain onto her coveted Maine seat regardless of a renewed Democratic effort to oust her in a race that might decide management of the U.S. Senate.
The marketing campaign will check Collins’ political survival expertise. The 73-year-old has received 5 phrases by casting herself as a mirrored image of Maine’s unbiased spirit, sometimes clashing with President Donald Trump whereas additionally largely supporting his agenda.
As she now seeks a sixth time period, Collins faces outrage over immigration enforcement ways that might grow to be a political legal responsibility for Republican candidates throughout the nation. A latest operation in Maine led to a whole bunch of arrests but in addition criticism that individuals had been being rounded up even when they didn’t have felony data.
Collins has taken credit score for stopping the surge of federal brokers in Maine after she spoke immediately with Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem.
Nonetheless, Democrats accused Collins of not going far sufficient, pointing to her refusal to name for Noem’s ouster and her vote in favor of a bipartisan Homeland Safety funding invoice. The social gathering must internet 4 seats to retake the Senate majority, and they’re aiming to do this in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
Gov. Janet Mills and oyster farmer Graham Platner are amongst Collins’ prime Democratic challengers. Whereas many institution Democrats and influential left-leaning teams have backed Mills, Platner has gained traction along with his anti-establishment picture and financial equality message. He’s campaigned aggressively whereas dealing with revelations of problematic social media posts and having to cowl up a tattoo resembling a Nazi image.
Mills has accused Collins of governing “with none braveness” shortly after the Republican voted in favor of funding the DHS and several other different businesses in January. Platner has demanded that the company be dismantled and mentioned he didn’t imagine Collins or the Trump administration’s promise to depart Maine.
Platner just lately outraised each Mills and Collins in marketing campaign fundraising, in accordance with the newest federal filings. The primary-time candidate collected practically $4.6 million, whereas Mills raised $2.7 million. Collins, who had not but formally launched her marketing campaign through the submitting interval, had greater than $8 million in money readily available on the finish of 2025.
Collins, who has mentioned she didn’t vote for Trump in 2016, voted to convict Trump after his 2021 impeachment over his position in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. After Collins joined a handful of Republican colleagues in backing a failed effort to restrict the president’s capability to unilaterally use power in Venezuela, Trump mentioned on social media that they “ought to by no means be elected to workplace once more.”
However Collins has additionally broadly backed Trump’s agenda, together with his tax and spending invoice, and his nominees.
Notably, Collins voted to verify Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Trump’s option to be secretary of Well being and Human Companies. Kennedy has since espoused anti-vaccine coverage and ousted public well being officers on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
She has confronted down powerful challenges earlier than. Democrat Sara Gideon raised $69 million in 2020, outspending Collins in a bid to assist take again the Senate throughout a presidential election yr when the Democrats received the highest of the ticket. Collins defeated Gideon by greater than 8 factors.
Collins has remained in workplace regardless of Maine changing into more and more blue. The proportion of registered Democrats has elevated since her final reelection marketing campaign, when “unenrolled” unbiased voters outnumbered Democrats in 2019 however now path them in 2026. Republicans have trailed each teams for years.
Kruesi reported from Windfall, Rhode Island.
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