Sen. Susan Collins criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats on Sunday, accusing them of running false attack ads against her and other Republican candidates. She said she could not recall a campaign with so many outright lies.
Collins spoke two days before Election Day in Maine, where she is seeking another term in a closely watched contest with Democrat Troy Jackson. A recent poll showed the candidates tied at 49%.
She said the ads targeting her closely resembled those aimed at other Republican senators and described them as part of Schumer’s campaign strategy.
Collins pointed to an ad about Jeffrey Epstein that she called “completely false,” saying two colleagues facing difficult races had seen nearly identical ads. She added that the claims were frustrating and that she and Jackson had plenty of real differences to discuss.
Collins also argued that her opponents were trying to make the race about national politics rather than issues in Maine.
On her own campaign, she presented herself as a bipartisan lawmaker and said the Senate needs more members willing to work across party lines. Many moderates, she noted, have retired or decided not to seek reelection. “That’s one reason I am running again,” she said.
Collins called herself the most independent senator in either party, saying she makes decisions based on what she believes is right, not on who is president or what the president supports.
She disputed a figure claiming she voted with President Donald Trump 95% of the time, saying it relied on a limited sample of votes. Using a broader sample, she said, the figure falls to about 72%, and she has voted against Trump’s policies 138 times.
Jackson has said he believes he has a good chance of defeating Collins. She, meanwhile, said visits to communities across Maine have left her feeling more optimistic than ever about reelection.
