Collins Watch

Portland Press Herald headline: Collins puts Mainers first with her approach on energy | Letter

Portland Press Herald runs a puff piece/astroturf letter to the editor praising Susan Collins from a Republican state senator who Collins has supported financially -- without disclosing the financial ties.

This is not a recipe for maintaining the trust of your readers. #MEpolitics

Susan Collins was a more reliable vote for GOP in 2017 than any other year | CNN Politics Maine Sen. Susan Collins has built a reputation as a maverick. She burnished those credentials by being one of three Republicans to vote against the Republican health care plan (that sought to replace...

Here's an example of the headlines we saw after Susan Collins sided with Trump 87% of the time in 2017.

But in 2025 she clocked in almost 10% higher -- voting with Trump more often than with any president in any previous year in her career!

Time to retire the moderate/centrism canard. #MEpolitics

It took a while to get there but glad to see this sort of language from Angus King. #MEpolitics

What is the basis for the claim that Susan Collins is a moderate? #MEpolitics

OK that's not bad. Maybe the tide is turning. #MEpolitics

Susan Collins tweet with a Youtube link.

Is it a good thing or a bad thing when your team doesn't know how to embed a video on social media? #MEpolitics

Washington Times headline: "Maine Sen. Susan Collins balances uneasy affiliation with Trump in quest for sixth term The reelection prospects of Sen. Susan Collins of Maine could hinge on how well she walks a political tightrope of distancing herself from..."

Wild that the right-wing Washington Times (!) probably has the most accurate and informative headline about Susan Collins meaningless public relations exercise today.

Shame on everybody else? #MEpolitics

USA Today article: "Collins, a centrist Republican, has publicly disagreed with President Donald Trump on some issues but also provided a reliable Republican vote when the margin is slim."

Here's USA Today with textbook nonsense re: Susan Collins.

They try to split the difference by hinting that Collins votes with Trump when he needs her...but in truth she votes with him when he *doesn't* need her too. 94% of the time to be precise.

So what exactly makes her a centrist? #MEpolitics

At a time when Washington seems broken...let's send someone to DC who's been there since the 1970s. Good plan. #MEpolitics

Maine Republican Party tweet: "At a time when Washington seems broken and trust is low, Maine needs experienced, steady leadership and a senator committed to the hard work it takes to get things done." - @SenSusanCollins #mepolitics

Who broke it, Susan? #MEpolitics

Of all the Trump nominees that Susan Collins has voted against, every single one of them has been confirmed except one -- who was opposed by Wall Street -- and even on that nominee, Collins wasn't the deciding vote. #MEpolitics

‘I’m running’: Maine’s Susan Collins launches campaign for a 6th U.S. Senate term Maine's U.S. Senate race is expected to be one of the most competitive and closely watched in the nation.

It shouldn't feel like a revelation when a Maine outlets prints the obvious/objective truth...but credit where it's due:

"While [Susan] Collins positions herself as a moderate deal-maker, Democrats reminded voters that she has been a reliable vote for President Donald Trump." #MEpolitics

Maine Public front page showing a Susan Collins.

Susan Collins has been running for five years. Outlets putting her PR above the fold today are telling on themselves. #MEpolitics

Wait Susan Collins skipped her own committee's hearing? #MEpolitics

One thing we're gonna keep an eye out for in the coming months are news articles that characterize Susan Collins ideology but omit how often she's sided with Trump 2025-6.

The answer? 94% of the time.

Barely takes up any space so a conscientious reporter has every reason to include it. #MEpolitics

CentralMaine.com letter to the editor.

Critical for the opposition to center the fact that Susan Collins is a liar for a bunch of reasons:

a) It's true and voters respond to candor

b) Prepares them to view her BS pronouncements skeptically

c) underscores that she can't be counted on to walk the walk no matter your ideology #MEpolitics

Bangor Daily News headline: Susan Collins: I’m running for reelection because experience and independence matter for Maine

Yeah, not reading this. She was in the oval office holding a MAGA hat last week! #MEpolitics

Susan Collins is a liar and a fraud. She reconfirms these truths on a weekly if not daily basis.

The Dem nominee, whoever it is, doesn't need to repeat this constantly (although we're not sure it's a bad idea!) but they definitely shouldn't be putting out a contradictory message. #MEpolitics

'I am sure Susan Collins is sincerely concerned' is bad messaging and the wrong message.

Janet Mills seems not to understand what the 'Susan Collins is concerned' meme is about. (Hint: A lot of people think Collins *isn't* genuinely all that concerned!) #MEpolitics

The CEO of the fake think tank that Susan Collins periodically sends a pile of cash to -- who himself used to be a Susan Collins staffer -- is nonpartisan. Uh-huh. #MEpolitics

Susan Collins: It would be impractical to exclude ICE and Border Patrol from the in-process DHS funding bill -- and to channel new dollars to FEMA and TSA instead -- because ICE and Border Patrol already have plenty of money. [Yes, this is logically incoherent and makes no sense.] #MEpolitics

Collins Watch | Substack Keeping an eye on Maine's senior senator and Maine politics since 2006. Send tips/thoughts to collinswatch@protonmail.com. https://x.com/CollinsWatch http://collinswatch.bsky.social. Click to read Col...

Tell all the Mainers in your life about us and encourage folks to subscribe to our Substack. (Link below.) #MEpolitics susancollinswatch.substack.com

Senate Appropriations Committee calendar for February showing just two hearings: One on broadband and one on foreign assistance to Haiti.

Here's the February calendar for the committee Susan Collins chairs.

Not only does she determine the schedule -- she has subpoena power to haul folks from the administration in to answer questions.

What an absolute joke. What an absolute joker. tinyurl.com/3mn4fdet #MEpolitics

Despite ICE promises to pursue 'the worst of the worst', 87% of the folks grabbed up during the Maine surge have no known criminal record.

But instead of hauling Kristi Noem in front of her committee -- or holding hearings at all -- Susan Collins wants to give the paramilitary more $$. #MEpolitics

Portland Press Herald letter to the editor calling Susan Collins "a key cog in the MAGA machine."

While we've been pounding away at it from the beginning, the idea that Susan Collins's brand is a sham and that she's a cog in the MAGA machine still felt new and vaguely provocative as the 2020 election season took shape.

We have no proof but it seems much more mainstream now. #MEpolitics

Sara Gideon wore a Patagonia fleece in an ad in 2020 and it was a story all thru the campaign.

I get that this stuff is a bit silly...but the hushed response so far to the below sure seems like another example of Maine press applying (making up?) different rules for different folks. #MEpolitics

Sun Journal letter: Sen. Collins’ proposal to inject $20 million for body cams and $2 million for de-escalation training into Department of Homeland Security funding misses the core problem with ICE. The chaos and escalation to violence that many ICE agents are sowing illustrates their disregard for regulations as well as their lack of training. Studies show mixed results for body cams reducing excessive force, and enforcing their use is challenging. Their ability to “protect ICE and the general public,” per Sen. Collins, is still unproven. Why add funds for extra de-escalation training when de-escalation is a cornerstone of law enforcement training already? Safety training is serious business and $2 million is a paltry sum for the multiplying numbers of ICE recruits. This shows a lack of understanding of the necessity for comprehensive training at the outset. The root problem is that the immigration enforcement plan under Donald Trump, Kristi Noem, Stephen Miller and others is simply cruel politics. Unchecked intimidation and chaos is their goal, not making our country safe from criminals. More money for body cams and insufficient amounts of additional training cannot correct the problems with ICE. Misguided intentions, hasty recruiting, incomplete vetting and training, followed by rushed onboarding make ICE a program unworthy of continued funding.

Yeah the $2M Susan Collins proposed for ICE "de-escalation training" isn't just offensive -- it's ludicrous.

That's $90 per agent. The number drops to $24 per agent if you include Border Patrol.

Hard to imagine a less serious proposal. #MEpolitics

Maine Public article: Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports first case of measles in Maine since 2019.

Susan Collins decision to let an anti-vax crank run the country's health apparatus doesn't get mentioned in this article either...but it should. #MEpolitics

Bangor Daily News headline: Maine confirms 1st measles case since 2019

Neither the word "Susan" nor the word "Collins" appears in this article but they both should. #MEpolitics

Portland Press Herald headline: Susan Collins says Democrats have 'greatly expanded' ICE demands, jeopardizing funding

As the Susan Collins-friendly outlet so often does, Portland Press Herald buries the lede here.

Gotta read into the piece to learn that Collins -- who we keep being told has enormous sway over govt funding decisions -- isn't even involved in the DHS funding negotiations!

Sorry, what? #MEpolitics