Collins likely realizes that at this point she is all but certain to lose in Maine even if she votes against Trump’s nominee; she is currently trailing her rival by 12 percent. As such, she has nothing to lose by voting for a Trump appointee.
If she votes against the nominee, she may lose by a lesser margin but she would have torpedoed a lot of her Republican connections and much of her post-Senate future. There would be no electoral consequences but there would be many personal consequences.
I’m curious… how bad is life for an ex-senator who annoys their party? I’ve never heard of a homeless ex-congressperson. Are there are senators who aren’t millionaires? Would it kill them to show a little bit of bravery?
I looked it up; she’s 67 years old. So what sort of post-Senate future does she expect? I assume that she’ll be able to get a job on K Street like many of her former colleagues.
Collins said today:
Source: Washington Post
So, she says, in the same statement, both that (a) Trump should be able to nominate someone now, and that nominee should be reviewed now, but (b) the nomination should be made by the winner of the election in November. I think what she’s saying, between those two statements, is “Trump should nominate someone, but we shouldn’t vote on that nominee unless Trump wins in November.” Maybe. In the past few years, she’s repeatedly voiced initial willingness to oppose the GOP leadership, but winds up toeing the line in the end.
yes if she loses she won’t be living under a bridge. She will get a high paying job in DC if she wants one. Higher pay than what a senator makes. Or she will get a high paying job in Maine.
This is vintage Collins. She’s not saying she’s supporting the controversial nominee or legislation - no, no, no, far from it! She just supports moving it forward to the next step of the process. And the next step. And the next step. Oh, now it’s reached a final decision? Well, first she wants you to know how truly agonized, how utterly tormented she is over this decision. She laments that the debate has been so bitter and partisan. However, the process having come this far, with heavy heart she casts her vote for the nominee/legislation. But she wants you to know that she feels really conflicted about it.
Really, really conflicted.
It’s just, at this point, such crap. She really ought to be honest with herself and her constituents. “I’m going to do whatever McConnell wants me to do. Same as always. I’m not a ‘moderate’ and I’m sure as hell not an ‘independent thinker.’ I have no principles or convictions - I just think you’ll like me more if I say I do.”
She will furrow her brow and assure us that she is “concerned”.
Her post Senate future is likely on the lecture and book circuit. Sure, she can have a K street job if she wants one, but she seems to believe in nothing.
She ain’t gonna be doing voice-over work, that’s for sure.
Ouch.
Only in politics, would a 67 year old be worrying about their next career.
I have trouble believing that she’s really down 12. Though I do think that she’ll be one of those borderline Republican senators swept away in the coming blue wave.
She isn’t. One poll, which isn’t even the most recent poll, has her down 12. The race is much closer than that.
538’s senate model for Maine projects Gideon 50.4% over Collins 49.6%. That’s incredibly close. Probability-wise it is basically a coin flip slightly favoring Gideon (53% chance to 47% chance).
She will hold steady as long as her superiors think they have enough votes without her. I’ve seen this happen over and over again where a number of Republicans claim to go against the grain, but when push comes to shove that number dwindles to a just enough not to make a difference in the final vote.
I have just contributed to Sara Gideon’s campaign.
What the heck, I also just donated to Amy McGrath.
Make it a hat trick and donate to Jaime Harrison like I did.
She has an estimated net worth in excess of $4 million.
Oh, yes. I donated to several people today!