Maine's Republican Senator, Susan Collins, has seen a significant drop in her approval ratings, following a series of controversial votes that saw her diverge from her party and President Donald Trump.
This comes amidst a heated summer session, where her decisions on key votes have been under scrutiny.
According to WND, the latest figures were published by Morning Consult as part of its quarterly review of senators' approval ratings. The data reveals a downward trajectory for the 72-year-old senator, who has previously expressed her intention to run for reelection in 2026.
The survey indicates that 54% of Maine residents disapprove of Collins' performance, marking a record high in her disapproval ratings over the eight-year history of the Morning Consult survey. Meanwhile, only 38% of voters in the Pine Tree State approve of her performance.
In comparison, the Morning Consult survey from the fourth quarter of 2024 showed that 47% of Collins' constituents approved of her, while 44% disapproved. This represented a slight decline from the third quarter of 2024 when 50% approved of her job performance and 42% disapproved.
However, a spokesperson for Collins pointed to a different poll when contacted by the Daily Caller News Foundation. This poll, conducted in mid-May, surveyed 840 likely Maine voters and found that 49% of respondents viewed her favorably, while only 45% viewed her unfavorably.
The decline in Collins' approval ratings in the Morning Consult survey comes after she opposed Trump on key elements of his agenda. Notably, Collins was one of three GOP senators to vote against Trumps one big, beautiful bill, which the president signed into law on July 4.
She cited concerns over the bills Medicaid reforms as her reason for opposition. In the lead up to the final vote, Collins sponsored a measure to raise taxes on millionaires to increase funding for rural hospitals. This amendment would have applied to those earning over $25 million a year or couples with a combined income exceeding $50 million.
Despite the decline in her approval ratings, Collins remains a formidable figure in the Senate. As the chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, she has yet to announce a formal reelection campaign, but she has indicated her intention to run in 2026, buoyed by strong fundraising results.
In her 2020 reelection bid, Collins managed to secure victory against Democrat Sara Gideon by 9 percentage points, despite Joe Biden winning the state by the same margin. This victory underscores her appeal in a state that leans Democratic and is currently the only state that voted for the unsuccessful Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in 2024, yet has a Republican senator.
Jason Savage, Executive Director of Maine GOP, praised Collins for her work, stating that she has been doing a tremendous job and that her efforts have impacted every community in the state. He believes that voters will remember this when the 2026 midterms arrive.
Savage also highlighted Collins' transparency and accessibility as key factors in her appeal to voters across Maine. He said, If Gideon or [Independent Maine Sen. Angus] King arent answering the phones, voters know that Collins will.
However, Collins faces potential competition from declared Democratic Senate candidates in Maine, including David Costello, the partys 2024 Senate nominee who served as acting secretary of Marylands Department of the Environment, and Jordan Wood, former chief of staff to Democratic California Rep. Katie Porter.
The Morning Consult survey, conducted between April and June, also revealed that GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Joni Ernst of Iowa were the only other Republicans to receive negative approval ratings.
The margin of error among registered voters varies by state, ranging from as low as +/-6 percentage points in less populous states such as Wyoming to +/-1 point in more populous states such as California.
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