Augusta, ME – A new report from MeidasTouch reveals that last month, Susan Collins held a fundraiser with right-wing Senator Tom Cotton and a number of Trump’s most loyal financial backers.

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MeidasTouch: Susan Collins Held Fundraiser With Right-Wing Extremists, MAGA Mega-Donors

By Troy Matthews

Monday, August 10, 2026

• Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine was the beneficiary of a fundraiser hosted by MAGA extremists in July, despite attempting to portray a moderate image to her constituents.

• On July 24, 2026, a fundraiser event was held for Collins with Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton listed as a “Special Guest” that was hosted by key Trump-backers Dr. John and Jennifer Wahlig, and co-hosted by 35 people, including MAGA donors Peter Anastos, Joe Bruno, and Margaret Fenderson.

• Tom Cotton might be the most right-wing member of the U.S. Senate. He has made multiple extremist statements, including defending slavery and arguing that life begins at conception, which would legally classify abortion as murder. Cotton has “railed against” no-fault divorce, voted against the Violence Against Women act, and was endorsed by a “long-term anti-women group” whose leader believed it was acceptable for husbands to rape their wives.

• The Arkansas Times described Cotton as “an ideological purist on the far right end of the American political spectrum. He believes in an aggressive reimagining of the role of government and the social safety net in modern American life, and is more than willing to stand by his principles, even at the cost of federal dollars flowing into Arkansas.”

• Cotton was endorsed by the organization Eagle Forum in 2013. Eagle forum was founded by conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, who said in a speech in 2007 that it was impossible for married women to be raped by their husbands. “By getting married, the woman has consented to sex, and I don’t think you can call it rape,” Schlafly said. Cotton voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.

• The host of the Collins fundraiser was MAGA mega-donor Jennifer Wahlig, who has given tens of thousands of dollars to support Republicans including Trump. Wahlig’s son was nominated to the Senate page program by Collins. She has posted multiple photos on her Instagram from the White House and Mar-A-Lago, including for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in 2025.

• One of the fundraiser co-hosts was Peter Anastos, a business owner and notable opponent of the Affordable Care Act who was the “star witness” of a Republican anti-ACA hearing. In January 2014, Peter Anastos testified before the House Ways and Means Committee against the ACA’s employer-coverage mandate, which required employers to provide health insurance for full-time employees. […]

• Two pharmaceutical industry leaders, Joe Bruno and Melissa Smith, were also co-hosts of the Collins fundraiser. As the former Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives, Joe Bruno was a classic example of the revolving door between politics and industry. Bruno used his legislative connections to help his pharmaceutical and health care companies secure tens of millions in state funding and contracts. […]

• Co-host Margaret Fenderson is also a MAGA mega-donor, donating almost $56,000 to various Republican committees, including $1,000 to Trump’s campaign committee and affiliated PACs and a combined $24,600 to the NRSC, NRCC, and RNC. Since Trump’s first term in 2016, Fenderson has donated over $24,000 to Republican committees including a combined over $8,500 to the NRSC, NRCC, and RNC.

• Susan Collins is running for her sixth term in the U.S. Senate this November. She has attempted to cultivate an image of a moderate Republican over the years, up to and including last week when she voted against the confirmation of Todd Blanche to be Attorney General.

• But Collins has repeatedly been a reliable vote for Donald Trump’s agenda. So much so that key MAGA influencers have reassured Republicans nervous about re-electing her that Collins is firmly in Donald Trump’s pocket, and is vital to the right-wing extremist agenda of the Republican party in Congress.

• And it’s no wonder considering the company she keeps, and who shows up to donate money to keep her in the Senate for another six years.