New Report: “Controversial Votes Threaten Susan Collins' Centrist Reputation”

As Susan Collins Votes to Allow Trump to Raid Military Projects for His Border Wall, Collins’ Controversial Votes in Washington Tank Moderate Facade

In case you missed it, a new report shows that Senator Susan Collins’ controversial votes in favor of Trump and special interests in Washington are tanking her moderate facade. This report from Maine Public came on the same day as Collins was scrutinized for her vote in the Appropriations Committee to kill a measure that would prevent Trump from raiding military projects to fund his border wall, despite her promises to do the opposite.

Specifically, the report cites Collins’ vote for the GOP tax bill that was a “lopsided giveaway to corporations” while threatening health care and protections for pre-existing conditions and her support of Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as catalysts for Maine voters turning on her. Collins has also voted for more than 100 Trump judges, many of whom have anti-choice and anti-LGBTQ records.

This comes as Collins' approval is at an "all-time low" with the "biggest decline of anyone in the Senate," and the Cook Political Report shifting her race from lean Republican to toss-up. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

WBUR: Controversial Votes Threaten Susan Collins' Centrist Reputation

September 12, 2019

Steve Mistler

  • “‘I am so furious at our Senator. I miss rational Republicans.’ Voters like Gail Fass were upset at Collins’ vote to confirm Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh last October. Many saw it as a betrayal of her pro-choice stance on abortion. Activists had previously viewed her as persuadable."
  • “In 2017, Collins voted for a GOP tax law that repealed the Affordable Care Act mandate that individuals have health insurance or pay a penalty. That vote touched off an acceleration in the break-up between Collins and liberal activists, and the persuasion protests have largely faded and now been replaced with ads like this: ‘I voted for her, but now she’s taken all this big corporate money and voted to give them $100 billion in tax breaks. It’s not fair.’”
  • “Liberal groups are also highlighting her campaign donors, which include billionaires like Robert and Diana Mercer who fund Breitbart News and are among the president’s biggest financial backers, and members of the Federalist Society who advised the president on judicial nominees like Kavanaugh.”
  • “The Kavanaugh vote spawned crowdfunding campaigns that generated more than $4 million, money that will go to Collins’ Democratic challenger.”
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