Moderate Sen. Susan Collins acknowledged Thursday that she intends to defend her seat and seek a sixth term in what is widely expected to be a tough cycle for Senate Republicans.
Collins (R-Maine), 71, is generally seen as the most dangerous incumbent Republican senator heading into the 2026 cycle, but he defied gravity to win the seat in 2020 when President Biden carried the state. I clung to it.
“This is my plan,” Collins told reporters, according to the newspaper. washington examiner. “Right now I'm focused on the spending process, not the election, but I plan to run.”
Republicans will have to defend 19 of the 33 seats up for grabs in 2026, compared to 14 for Democrats. Historically, midterm elections are a boost for opposition parties, but President-elect Donald Trump's landslide victory will result in a Democratic victory. November 5th.
Collins is generally ranked highest Centrist members of the Senate Republican Caucus He holds regular honors at the Lugar Center and the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. List of most bipartisan senators.
Back in 2020, numerous polls showed her trailing then-state House Speaker Sarah Gideon, and every poll listed her. RealClearPolitics aggregate At the time, Democrats often led by 4 to 7 points.
In the end, Biden won the Pine Tree State by about 9 points, but Collins won by 8.6 points. Trump lost by about 7 points last week.
Collins joins Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Joe Manchin (I., W.Va.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) who are leaving the Senate and recently This is a rare survivor of a split Senate vote in this cycle.
Last week, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Sen.-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) managed to win, albeit by dramatically narrow margins. He won on a split ticket. than Collins.
Democrats were particularly keen to seek revenge against Collins four years ago, despite sexual misconduct allegations against her and concerns that Roe v. Wade would be overturned. Partly because he supported the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Pro-choice Republican senators supported every Supreme Court nominee on the ballot except Amy Coney Barrett.
Collins is widely expected to be one of the key votes for Republicans' projected control of the 53-seat Senate. She also hopes to become the coveted chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
This could put enormous pressure on her as President Trump increasingly demands greatness from Republicans.
That idea was put to the test recently when President Trump announced plans to nominate former flame-throwing Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) as his nominee for attorney general. Collins, like other Republicans, has expressed concerns about Gaetz.
Mr. Collins was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Mr. Trump in his second impeachment in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
She is also the only Republican representing New England in both chambers.
The newspaper has contacted Collins' office for comment.
Other tough seats Republicans will have to defend in 2026 include Dan Sullivan in Alaska, Joni Ernst in Iowa and Thom Tillis in North Carolina.
