The November ballot will be more important than ever for Maine. As if a presidential election isn’t enough, Maine will also be voting for U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate and local races. Regardless of how you’ll vote for other races or your political party, please vote to keep Susan Collins as our U.S. senator.
Susan Collins (R) is a real Mainer. She was born and raised in Caribou, Maine. When she’s not in Washington, D.C., she lives in Bangor. Her main opponent, Sara Gideon (D), is from Rhode Island. Gideon has spent most of her life outside of Maine. Gideon came to Maine only to run for State house. Such a relative newcomer doesn’t know about our culture and our ways, and should not be trying to govern over us and implement change. There’s a reason that Mainers infamously don’t like “people from away.”
Collins has represented Maine in the Senate for 23 years now. Some would argue that this makes her a “career politician.” However, this actually provides her valuable experience. Donald Trump was a political outsider, but it’s no secret that many disapprove of him now.
Collins is on many committees, and also chairs many of them. She is a powerful senator. If a political outsider (like any of her three opponents) is elected, then Maine will lose substantial clout in Washington. A freshman senator won’t be listened to or respected like Susan Collins. Maine will be overlooked as another tiny, rural and unimportant state if Collins loses.
Collins is one of the most bipartisan senators in office. She works across the aisle, instead of most senators voting for their party’s opinion every time. This May, Collins was ranked as the most bipartisan senator in office for the seventh consecutive year in a Georgetown study. Nothing can be accomplished with a “rubber stamp” senator.
Collins is the only candidate with any foreign policy experience. Her opponents include Max Linn (a financial planner), Lisa Savage (a schoolteacher) and Gideon. Gideon only has experience at the state level. The Senate debates have focused on Maine, but a U.S. senator makes decisions regarding the entire nation and its place in the world.
Gideon touts changing the seating arrangement in the Statehouse as her “big accomplishment”; this makes no difference in Mainers’ lives. Gideon has been pushed for by “big money” from out of state lobbyists. Gideon couldn’t even be bothered to attend the Democratic primary debates, and infamously shut down the Statehouse during the COVID-19 crisis.
NPR describes Collins’ brand as “the moderate Republican-independent, a workhorse… powerful within her own party, even as Democrats sought her out as a partner.” Collins is a highly experienced, respected, bipartisan and moderate senator. She works hard to actually get things done.
Regardless of your political party, please vote for Susan Collins for U.S. Senate. We need more senators like her who put progress in front of politics.
