# Maine US Senate race: Shenna Bellows vs. Susan Collins (Incumbent) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 7, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565 "2014-04-07T16:30:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/1 "2014-04-07T16:30:57Z")
Ms. Bellows is an eight-year former executive director of the Maine ACLU and has somewhat of a libertarian streak. > **[Shenna Bellows](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenna_Bellows)** > > Shenna Lee Bellows (born March 23, 1975) is an American politician and a non-profit executive director, best known for her work with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). She is the 50th Maine secretary of state. On December 2, 2020, the Maine Legislature elected her to be Maine secretary of state. She is executive director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine. > Bellows was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in Maine in the 2014 election. She was defeated by i... The GOP incumbent is running for her fourth term. This could be a surprise pickup opportunity for Democrats but there is almost no polling data available. Can it be taken? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/2 "2014-04-07T17:00:21Z")
Bellows is the only congressional candidate I’ve heard of this year who is [making a campaign issue of the “surveillance industrial complex.”](http://www.salon.com/2014/04/07/americas_most_progressive_senate_nominee_meet_shenna_bellows_of_maine/) > [@](#): > > **Is there any justification for mass surveillance by the NSA?** > > …Mass surveillance of the citizenry is not compatible with the values embodied in the Constitution. We need to return to a day when surveillance was targeted, based upon probable cause, with reasonable court oversight… > > **Should everything in the Patriot Act be repealed?** > > When I began working for the ACLU in 2003, there were specific sections that we were very concerned about. For example… “sneak and peaks” [and] Section 215, the business records provision. We predicted in 2003 that would lead to abuse of power, and of course, over a decade later, we’ve seen the result… > > It’s time to repeal the Patriot Act and put in place meaningful reforms… Strong stuff! ---
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/3 "2014-04-07T17:36:52Z")
I consider this race the best flip chance for Democrats. I know Kentucky and Georgia are touted as better chances to pick up a Senate seat but I don’t see it. Those states are deep Red and there are no coattails to ride in them. Gotta flip one of them, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/4 "2014-04-08T00:49:54Z")
Her chances are probably on the order of 1,000 to 1 or less. Collins is well respected as a Senator who is not a rabid dog R. From a native Mainiac! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/5 "2014-04-08T01:16:52Z")
> [@Fir\_na\_tine](#): > > Her chances are probably on the order of 1,000 to 1 or less. Collins is well respected as a Senator who is not a rabid dog R. > > From a native Mainiac! Well, that’s what she **was,** you see. Before she made a routine whistlestop visit to Derry and met the Crimson King . . . And then on to 'Salem’s Lot . . . ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/6 "2014-04-08T11:09:59Z")
I agree that this is pretty much a lock for Collins. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/7 "2014-04-08T13:54:22Z")
Yeah, the only thing preventing Collins from winning is Collins. She’d have to screw up enormously to lose this one. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/8 "2014-04-08T17:06:39Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Yeah, the only thing preventing Collins from winning is Collins. She’d have to screw up enormously to lose this one. What’s her position on legitimate rape? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/9 "2014-04-08T17:52:06Z")
> [@Mr.Greenjeans](#): > > What’s her position on legitimate rape? “Not now, I have a headache,” IME. What? Just because I’m a rapist doesn’t mean I’m **inconsiderate!** ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/10 "2014-04-08T17:52:41Z")
> [@Mr.Greenjeans](#): > > What’s her position on legitimate rape? [Adm. Ackbar] It’s a trap! [/AA] ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/11 "2014-04-08T21:21:20Z")
I have to wonder, if the Democrats let an ACLU libertarian win the primary, doesn’t that show a lack of interest in the race on their part similar to the lack of interest that allowed Alvin Greene to challenge Jim Demint? I’d be tempted to root for the libertarian in this race, personally. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/12 "2014-04-08T21:27:53Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I have to wonder, if the Democrats let an ACLU libertarian win the primary, doesn’t that show a lack of interest in the race on their part similar to the lack of interest that allowed Alvin Greene to challenge Jim Demint? No, because “ACLU libertarian” != economic libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/13 "2014-04-08T21:36:58Z")
Granted, but the Democratic Party has been reluctant to go after the President on the NSA. This woman is approaching Paul’s level of stridency on the issue. Plus the ACLU, while not economic libertarians, are much more libertarian on issues like political speech and guns than the party mainstream. There’s been no polling, so we can’t know for sure, but this really looks to me like a race that Democrats aren’t looking at as a pickup opportunity. Not just for her views, but also her background. Normally when a party is looking for a strong Senate candidate, they look in the legislature, or for someone who has already won statewide, or a Congressmen. If every single Democratic officeholder declined to run, that’s a bad sign, because Maine has a lot of Democratic officeholders. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/14 "2014-04-08T21:52:42Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Granted, but the Democratic Party has been reluctant to go after the President on the NSA. This woman is approaching Paul’s level of stridency on the issue. Plus the ACLU, while not economic libertarians, are much more libertarian on issues like political speech and guns than the party mainstream. Don’t matter, its a big tent. When the progressive wing looks poised to **take over** the Dems like the TP has the Pubs, that will matter; but that day is a long way off yet. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/15 "2014-04-08T21:54:31Z")
Collins almost always is in the top three of “Most popular Senators amongst their constituents” polling. I imagine the seat will flip parties once she leaves, but its basically hers as long as she wants it. Collins was also Chairperson of the Homeland Security Commission during most of the Bush admin, and is generally hawkish on that sort of thing ,which I presume is why her challenger is emphasizing a pro-privacy stance (it’s probably also a good way to attract donations in a candidacy that most people would write off as hopeless). But I seriously doubt those issues really attract enough interest with the electorate to threaten Collins. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/16 "2014-04-09T07:22:56Z")
Even if Ms. Bellows does not win this election, hopefully she will at least get enough national exposure for future races. She certainly is a strong candidate combining the economic progressive stance of Senators Sanders and Warren with the civil libertarian stance of Senator Paul. It also doesn’t hurt she’s the most attractive person I’ve seen in American politics… ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/17 "2014-04-09T13:38:29Z")
She _is_ kind of cute. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/18 "2014-04-09T14:21:06Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Even if Ms. Bellows does not win this election, hopefully she will at least get enough national exposure for future races. More importantly, from now until November she gets a bully pulpit for progressive issues. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/19 "2014-04-09T18:01:54Z")
> [@Mr.Greenjeans](#): > > What’s her position on legitimate rape? See, that’s just it. As a former native Mainer with a lot of hard-left hippie friends… Even _they_ like Collins (and liked Snowe). She’s not a moron. She seems like a reasonable politician. > [@adaher](#): > > I have to wonder, if the Democrats let an ACLU libertarian win the primary, doesn’t that show a lack of interest in the race on their part similar to the lack of interest that allowed Alvin Greene to challenge Jim Demint? I wouldn’t be surprised. Collins is… not an easy seat to unseat. ---
**Author:** ![Linden\_Arden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Linden\_Arden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linden_Arden)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565/20 "2014-04-15T23:47:59Z")
> [@](#): > > In a recent sit-down with Salon, Bellows urged that the government legalize marijuana, break up big banks, institute “Medicare for All,” repeal the Patriot Act, halt mass surveillance, tax financial transactions, expand Social Security, reject the Keystone Pipeline, turn away from education privatization and extend Civil Rights Act protections to LGBT people. She hedged on whether she’d support the Assault Weapons Ban, and on whether heroin should ultimately be decriminalized. A condensed version of our conversation follows. > **[Meet America's most progressive Senate nominee: Shenna Bellows of Maine](https://www.salon.com/2014/04/07/americas_most_progressive_senate_nominee_meet_shenna_bellows_of_maine/)** > > Former ACLU leader Shenna Bellows discusses heroin, the "surveillance industrial complex," and Medicare for all [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-us-senate-race-shenna-bellows-vs-susan-collins-incumbent/685565.md?page=2)