Susan Collins is a Republican senator from Maine. First elected in 1996, she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Maine in her own right and has since become one of the most senior — and most watched — moderates in the chamber.
Born December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Maine, Collins earned her B.A. from St. Lawrence University. Before joining the Senate, she held a series of public-sector and policy roles, including at the U.S. Small Business Administration and in Maine state government.
Collins is known for positioning herself as an institutionalist and dealmaker. She’s helped shape high-profile debates on tax policy, abortion rights, healthcare, same-sex marriage, and judicial confirmations. She also built a long streak of perfect floor votes, logging thousands of consecutive roll calls. In 2020, she won re-election by roughly 8 points in a high-dollar, nationally targeted race.
Moderate Republican
Achievements
- Chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee, steering federal funding toward Maine’s infrastructure, shipbuilding, and broadband
- Key Republican vote in major bipartisan deals on healthcare, tax, and COVID relief policy
- Helped repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” allowing LGBTQ+ Americans to serve openly in the military
- Longtime advocate for seniors, veterans, and rural health programs — a consistent focus of her constituent services
Controversies
- Faced intense national backlash from Democrats and abortion rights groups over her votes on Trump-appointed judges and Supreme Court nominees
- Criticized from the right for occasionally breaking with GOP leadership on spending, impeachment, and social policy
- Walks a narrow line in an increasingly polarized state — branded as too moderate by conservatives and too enabling by liberals
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstone Group | $97,050 | $97,050 | $0 |
| Lockheed Martin | $76,379 | $65,379 | $11,000 |
| Senior Star | $67,700 | $67,700 | $0 |
| Republican Jewish Coalition | $60,067 | $55,067 | $5,000 |
| Southwest Airlines | $59,035 | $40,035 | $19,000 |
Donor totals reflect organization-linked giving, including finance, aerospace/defense, and transportation.
Recent Elections
2008 Margin R +23%
2014 Margin R +37%
2020 Margin R +8%