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Susan Collins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the artist, see Susan Alexis Collins.
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This article or section contains information about one or more candidates in an upcoming or ongoing election. Content may change as the election approaches. |
| Susan Collins | |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 7, 1997 Serving with Olympia Snowe |
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| Preceded by | William Cohen |
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| Succeeded by | Incumbent (2009) |
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| Born | December 7, 1952 Caribou, Maine |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | none |
| Alma mater | St. Lawrence University |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Maine) is an American politician, the junior U.S. Senator from Maine and a Republican.
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Collins is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Lawrence University. She worked for Senator William Cohen from 1975 until 1987, when she became chair of the Maine commission on financial regulation. She served in this position until 1992, when she briefly served as New England regional director of the National Small Business Administration. She was the Republican candidate in the Maine gubernatorial election of 1994, but both she and the Democratic candidate, former Governor Joe Brennan, were defeated by the Independent candidate, Angus King.
In 1996, when Senator William Cohen announced his retirement, Collins announced her Senate candidacy. After a difficult three-way primary, she defeated Democrat Joe Brennan in the general election with 49% of the vote to Brennan's 44%. She was reelected in 2002 over State Senator Chellie Pingree (D), 58%-42%.
Senator Collins is often labeled as more bi-partisan than most senators, thus causing some Republicans to label her as a "Republican in Name Only," (RINO). Her voting record is moderate, which puts her to the left of most Republicans in the Senate. In the 1990s, Collins played an important role during the U.S. Senate's impeachment trial of Bill Clinton when she and fellow Maine Senator Olympia Snowe sponsored a motion that would have allowed the Senate to vote separately on the charges and the remedy. When the motion failed, both Snowe and Collins subsequently voted to acquit, believing that while Clinton had broken the law by committing perjury, the charges did not amount to grounds for removal from office.
Collins voted with the majority in favor of the "Iraq War Resolution" authorizing President George W. Bush to go to war against Iraq, on October 10, 2002.[1] On September 19, 2007, she voted with the minority (that was nevertheless large enough to block via filibuster) on a bill restoring the right of habeas corpus; her colleague Olympia Snowe voted for the measure.[1]
On October 21, 2003, Collins was one of the three Republican Senators to oppose the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and voted with the Senate Democrats. The bill was passed 64-34 and became law on November 5, 2003. She did however join the majority of Republicans in voting for Laci and Conner's Law to increase penalties for killing the unborn while committing a violent crime against the mother.
On May 23, 2005, Collins was one of fourteen moderate senators to forge a "compromise" on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus allowing the Republican leadership's attempt to control debate without having to exercise the so-called "nuclear option". Under the agreement the Democrats would retain the power to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee only in an "extraordinary circumstance", and the three Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen, and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate.
Overall, Senator Collins has a moderate voting record. She voted against the restrictions on travel to Cuba, harsher punishments for drug users, and amending the U.S. Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriages. She has also joined the moderates in Republican Party and the vast majority of Democrats in supporting campaign finance reform laws. In 2003 she was the only Republican to vote for limiting the tax cut in order to help rural hospitals. Collins has also voted against some free-trade agreements including CAFTA. In 1999 she was one of only four Republicans (along with her colleague Olympia Snowe) to vote for a Wellstone amendment to the Trade and Development Act of 2000 which would have conditioned trade benefits for Caribbean countries on "compliance with internationally recognized labor rights." This vote, joined only by Republicans Jim Jeffords and Arlen Specter, put her to the political left of many Democratic senators including current contenders for president in the party like John Edwards, Christopher Dodd, and Joseph Biden.
Senator Collins coauthored, along with Senator Joe Lieberman, the Collins-Lieberman Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. This law implemented many of the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission modernizing and improving America's intelligence systems.
In October, 2006, President Bush signed into law major port security legislation coauthored by Senator Collins and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA). The new law includes major provisions to significantly strengthen security at our nation’s ports.
Senator Collins is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports stem cell research. She is also a member of The Republican Majority For Choice, Republicans For Choice, The Wish List, Republicans for Environmental Protection, and It's My Party Too.
Since January, 2007, Senator Collins has served as the ranking Republican of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Collins served as chair of the committee from January, 2003, until she became ranking Republican. Collins also serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Special Committee on Aging. She is also a co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. Her tenure both as chair and ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has been noteworthy for her close working relationship with Joe Lieberman. Lieberman was previously the committee's ranking Democrat.
Collins is running for re-election in 2008 and on May 8, 2007, Representative Tom Allen (District 1) filed papers to run against her. On the same day a poll was released by Critical Insights — an independent polling firm in Portland, Maine — which showed Collins was a strong early favorite. The poll of 600 likely voters, showed Collins leading Allen statewide 57% to 30%, with 65% of the important independent vote.
On October 15, 2007, the Daily Kos released a poll conducted by Research 2007. This poll asked- If 2008 election for U.S. Senate were held today, for whom would you vote for if the choices were between Tom Allen, the Democrat, and Susan Collins, the Republican? 56% said Collins. 33% said Allen.
Former Democrat and now Independent Senator Joe Lieberman has stated publicly that he plans to campaign for Senator Collins' re-election. This, he said, was returning a favor when Collins' campaign against the Democratic candidate during his bid for re-election in 2006 after he lost in the Democratic primary and decided to run as an Independent in the general election.
In an October 18 in the Portsmouth Herald, Independent/Democrat Laurie Dobson, of Kennebunkport, is quoted as saying she will run for this Senate seat. Other Independents said to be considering runs are Dexter Kamilewicz and Bill Slavick.
Another possible Independent to enter the race is Former Governor Angus King who previously defeated Collins in her run for the governorship.[citation needed]
| Maine U.S. Senate Election 2002 | |||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Susan Collins (incumbent) | 299,266 | 58.4 | ||
| Democratic | Chellie Pingree | 205,901 | 41.6 | ||
| Maine U.S. Senate Election 1996 | |||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Susan Collins | 298,422 | 49.2 | ||
| Democratic | Joe Brennan | 266,226 | 43.9 | ||
| Green | John Rensenbrink | 23,441 | 3.9 | ||
| Maine Gubernatorial Election 1994 | |||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Angus King | 180,829 | 35 | ||
| Democratic | Joe Brennan | 172,951 | 34 | ||
| Republican | Susan Collins | 117,990 | 23 | ||
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- United States Senator Susan Collins official Senate site
- Susan Collins's biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Susan Collins's voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Susan Collins's campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Susan Collins's campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
- Susan Collins's biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Susan Collins's issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
- New York Times — Susan Collins News collected news and commentary
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Susan Collins profile
- Susan Collins My Space
- Senator Susan Collins Political Base
| United States Senate | ||
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| Preceded by William Cohen |
Senator from Maine (Class 2) 1997 – present Served alongside: Olympia Snowe |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Joe Lieberman |
Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee 2003 – 2007 |
Succeeded by Joe Lieberman |
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| Class 1: Holmes • Parris • Holmes • Shepley • Dana • Williams • Fairfield • Moor • Hamlin • Nourse • Hamlin • Morrill • Hamlin • E. Hale • Johnson • F. Hale • Brewster • Payne • Muskie • Mitchell • Snowe Class 2: Chandler • Sprague • Ruggles • Evans • Bradbury • Fessenden • Farwell • Fessenden • Morrill • Blaine • Frye • Gardner • Burleigh • Fernald • Gould • White • Smith • Hathaway • Cohen • Collins |
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| Maine's current delegation to the United States Congress | |
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| Senators | Olympia Snowe (R), Susan Collins (R) |
| Representative(s) | Tom Allen (D), Mike Michaud (D) |
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