1. Impeachment vote

Senator Susan Collins seemed poised to vote in favor of Trump’s impeachment in February. But instead, she voted to acquit. Why did she vote to acquit?

“This decision is not about whether you like or dislike this President or agree with or oppose his policies or approve or disapprove of his conduct in other circumstances,” she said. But she also said that she believed Trump had “learned” from his impeachment and would be “more cautious.”

Previously, Collins voted for more impeachment witnesses, but the vote for that failed. How she was able to determine that Trump did nothing wrong apparently didn’t need more witnesses.

2. Brett Kavanaugh vote

Screenshot/Youtube

Despite Maine constituent’s protests, Collins voted in favor of Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, even after he was accused of sexually assaulting Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford in high school. Even though Collins had always styled herself as a pro-choice moderate Republican, she decided to vote for someone who had the ability and probable desire to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“In evaluating any given claim of misconduct, we will be ill-served in the long run if we abandon the presumption of innocence and fairness, tempting though it may be. We must always remember that it is when passions are most inflamed that fairness is most in jeopardy,” she said.

3. Pandemic Preparation

Ironically, in 2009, Collins killed an $870 million dollar package for pandemic preparation when voting for the Obama economic stimulus plan. As one of the three Republicans supporting the economic stimulus bill, Collins had much power and was not interested in funding certain sections, including the pandemic preparedness package.

The swine flu pandemic appeared two months later after the plan was passed. More than ten years later, another pandemic appeared: the coronavirus.

4. Takes care of donors, not constituents

Abbott Laboratories, a company that gave almost $20,000 to Collins’ campaign, received not one, not two, but three shoutouts from the Maine senator. Furthermore, she used funds from her campaign to feature them in a campaign ad, where she thanked them for developing a coronavirus test.

“I was so impressed by your dedicated employees who were making the next generation of diagnostics,” Collins wrote in a Facebook post to the company.

5. Confirming Betsy DeVos

Collins voted against Betsy DeVos when she was the nominee for education secretary. Unfortunately, Vice President Mike Pence broke the tie with his vote and confirmed DeVos.

But previously, when in committee, Collins did not object to DeVos. So why, if she felt DeVos wasn’t fit for the job, did she approve her in the first place?

6. Repealing Obamacare

Susan Collins voted for provisions that would allow the Senate to repeal Obamacare in 2017. However, previously, the senator had said that she did not approve of overturning Obamacare without providing or replacing the central benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

The repeal of the ACA would have resulted in 75,000 people in Maine losing their health insurance. It would also have damaged rural hospitals in the state.

7. Endorsed by Trump

Screenshot/YouTube

The Daily Kos reported that Susan Collins’ 2020 campaign was endorsed “100 percent” by Trump at the end of 2019. Ironically, Collins said in 2016 that she was not going to vote for Trump.

Trump’s endorsement of Collins’ campaign was “a rare shout-out” according to Bangor Daily News. The endorsement seemed to be based on Collins’ vote to confirm Kavanaugh.

8. Voted for Trump’s tax bill

Collins’ vote to pass Trump’s tax bill probably didn’t hurt his opinion of the Maine senator. “I supported this legislation because it will help lower-income and middle-income families keep more of their hard-earned money, boost the economy and encourage businesses, both small and large, to grow and create jobs here in Maine and around the country,” she wrote in an op-ed.

But Trump’s tax bill hurt homeowners and members of the middle class.

9. Supported by fossil fuels

PIxabay

The League of Conservation Voters chose Sara Gideon over Susan Collins. More than likely, this had something to do with Collins receiving more aid from fossil fuel industries than from her own constituents. Collins raised over $50,000 from owners of gas and oil companies in Texas.

10. Dark Money funds for Kavanaugh vote

Canva

Susan Collins was given a six-figure ad from the Judicial Crisis Network as a thank you for her vote in favor of Kavanaugh.

“Thank you Susan Collins for thoughtfully reviewing Judge Kavanaugh’s judicial record and weighing the evidence, and for being a reasonable voice during this incredibly divisive time,” said the ad.