Augusta, ME – At last night’s debate, Susan Collins was asked of a single time where she voted against Donald Trump and changed the outcome – and she couldn’t think of a single example.
MODERATOR: Just for Senator Collins, can you name a time when you voted against your party and President Trump where it actually changed the outcome significantly?
SUSAN COLLINS: There are several examples of that; at one point, I had organized people to vote against Secretary Hegseth. As you undoubtedly have read at the very last minute, one of our Republicans changed his mind; otherwise, he would have been defeated for that job, and…
MODERATOR: So that didn’t change the outcome.
SUSAN COLLINS: Well, but it came. It would have had that person stayed there.
Read more here:
New York Times: “[Collins’] approach appeared to backfire at one point during the debate, when a moderator asked about a time when she voted against the Republican Party and, as a result, changed an outcome. She described trying to organize a group of senators to vote against the confirmation of Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense. That effort ultimately failed.”
Fox News: “At one point, the moderator asked [Collins] to identify an instance when she had defied the president and changed the outcome of a decision. Collins cited her opposition to the confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth , who faced scrutiny during his nomination over his qualifications and allegations about his personal conduct. ‘At one point, I had organized people to vote against Secretary Hegseth. As you undoubtedly have read, at the very last minute, one of our Republicans changed his mind. Otherwise, he would have been defeated for that job,’ Collins said. Jackson countered that Hegseth was ultimately confirmed despite Collins’ opposition.”
The Hill: “Collins was pressed on her ties to the Trump administration at a time when only 36 percent of Pine Tree State voters approve of the president, according to a recent poll from The Washington Post and Schar School. The senator pointed to her efforts to block Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation, saying she organized Republican opposition to his nomination. But she added that another GOP senator, likely referring to outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), changed his mind at the last minute.”
###
