Latest news with #MaineSenate
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Susan Collins takes steps toward 2026 run as big-name Democrats weigh potential challenge
Democrats have one big hope as they scramble to find a top-tier recruit against GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine: Maybe she won't run at all. Collins, the lone New England Senate Republican, who is at the peak of her influence over 28 years in the chamber, has fended off one Democratic foe after another in hard-fought races to hang on to her seat. And again, her seat is pivotal in the Democrats' uphill climb back to the majority. But Collins, 72, has yet to make a formal announcement that she'll run in what will almost certainly be a bruising battle for a sixth term. And high-profile potential Democratic candidates, like Gov. Janet Mills and Rep. Jared Golden, are weighing their next moves as they await the veteran senator's final decision. In an interview with CNN, Collins signaled she does plan to run but wasn't ready to say so officially. 'It's certainly my inclination to run and I'm preparing to do so,' Collins told CNN late last week. 'I very much enjoy serving the people of Maine. I've obviously not made a formal announcement because it's too early for that.' National Republicans believe that Collins — a moderate who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and sits in the bluest GOP-held seat in the nation — will indeed be on the ballot next November. But if Collins decides against another run, it would transform the race and give Democrats their best chance at flipping a seat in the midterms. Yet if Collins does run, Democrats insist they can still flip the seat, buoyed by public and private polling that shows the incumbent facing new weaknesses because of the unpopularity of President Donald Trump and the expectation that it will be a difficult midterm for Republicans — as is historically the case for a president's party. But they have one big problem. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his team still have not yet landed a top-tier Democratic challenger against the famously formidable Collins. 'I'm very hopeful we will have the strongest candidate possible for Maine,' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who leads the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, told CNN. 'I'm bullish on Maine.' Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders have begun their outreach to key candidates. Schumer has personally spoken about the race with Mills, the 77-year-old governor who recently clashed with Trump over issues including transgender athletes this year, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversations. Mills, those sources said, was noncommittal on a run and has publicly downplayed the idea that she may try to take on Collins. Another Democrat the party sees as a formidable challenger to Collins: Golden, a 42-year-old centrist who's urged his party to be less elitist and more open to Trump. But there's a catch. Many Democrats do not believe Golden would run against Collins out of principle, since she is his former boss — a highly unusual position in hyperpartisan Washington. Golden once worked as a staffer in Collins' DC office and retains close ties to the senator. (In Collins' last race, Golden remained neutral to preserve his personal relationship with the senator.) Asked about whether he would run against Collins, Golden quipped: 'Is she running?' Golden's future has been closely watched in Washington for another key reason. His House seat is one of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's top targets in an extremely narrow battlefield in 2026. And in Washington, no one knows exactly which office he'll be seeking in 2026 — House, Senate or governor, according to half a dozen sources involved in congressional campaigns. 'According to the press, I'm running for all of them,' Golden said in an interview, when asked about his path in 2026. He would not reveal his preference and said the decision is 'not top of mind' because he is focused on his job in the House. 'I'm on my own timeline,' he told CNN. Democrats are tracking one other candidate already in the race: Jordan Wood, who previously served as chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter. But whether Wood — a novice candidate who calls himself a 'pro-democracy advocate' — could run toe-to-toe with Collins remains unclear. Asked about possible candidates, Gillibrand declined to elaborate, telling CNN: 'I'm not going to tell you. We talk to lots of people.' But Collins' complicated relationship with Trump adds another twist to the race — especially if the president continues to attack her, something that could help her appeal to independents but turn off MAGA-aligned voters in Maine. Collins voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial after the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack and has long refused to say whom she voted for in the 2020 election — while writing in Nikki Haley in the 2024 election and publicly announcing she wouldn't support Trump in 2016. This year, she voted against some of his nominees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. But she has cast key votes to help advance her party's agenda over the years and some of Trump's most controversial picks, whether it was to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And now in the 53-47 GOP-led Senate, Collins remains one of the few swing votes — including over Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' that is expected to include deep cuts to an array of federal programs. Asked about how much harder Trump would make her race, Collins pointed to her own brand in the state. 'I always run on my own record, and that's what I will do this time,' Collins told CNN. Like Collins, whatever Golden decides could determine the fate of his ultra-competitive House seat. With Golden's decision unclear, a high-profile Republican candidate — former Maine Gov. Paul LePage — jumped into the race for the sprawling northern Maine district last week. The 76-year-old former governor is a lightning rod in Maine politics. And he's now seeking a comeback after his loss to Mills for governor in 2022. Despite some of LePage's contentious past statements on Trump, national Republicans believe his high name ID and fundraising ability will help them lock down a seat that's eluded them for the past four cycles. 'We'll pick up Maine-02 whether Jared Golden runs or not,' Rep. Richard Hudson, the House GOP campaign chief, said. 'We came close last time. The district went for Trump. It's our district.' Asked if he'd feel better if Golden didn't run, Hudson said: 'Sure. Open seat is always easier.' House Democrats are eager to keep Golden in their chamber in a midterm cycle in which every single seat matters to determine which party holds the gavel come January 2027. Rep. Brad Schneider, a senior Illinois Democrat involved in House races, said the party would still attempt to hold Golden's seat if he decided not to run. 'No one's irreplaceable. People retire, people move on,' Schneider told CNN. But he offered this advice to his fellow Democrat: 'If he asks my opinion, I want to keep working with Jared.' CNN's Ted Barrett, Casey Riddle and Alison Main contributed to this report.
CNN
11-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Susan Collins takes steps toward 2026 run as big-name Democrats weigh potential challenge
Democrats have one big hope as they scramble to find a top-tier recruit against GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine: Maybe she won't run at all. Collins, the lone New England Senate Republican, who is at the peak of her influence over 28 years in the chamber, has fended off one Democratic foe after another in hard-fought races to hang on to her seat. And again, her seat is pivotal in the Democrats' uphill climb back to the majority. But Collins, 72, has yet to make a formal announcement that she'll run in what will almost certainly be a bruising battle for a sixth term. And high-profile potential Democratic candidates, like Gov. Janet Mills and Rep. Jared Golden, are weighing their next moves as they await the veteran senator's final decision. In an interview with CNN, Collins signaled she does plan to run but wasn't ready to say so officially. 'It's certainly my inclination to run and I'm preparing to do so,' Collins told CNN late last week. 'I very much enjoy serving the people of Maine. I've obviously not made a formal announcement because it's too early for that.' National Republicans believe that Collins — a moderate who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and sits in the bluest GOP-held seat in the nation — will indeed be on the ballot next November. But if Collins decides against another run, it would transform the race and give Democrats their best chance at flipping a seat in the midterms. Yet if Collins does run, Democrats insist they can still flip the seat, buoyed by public and private polling that shows the incumbent facing new weaknesses because of the unpopularity of President Donald Trump and the expectation that it will be a difficult midterm for Republicans — as is historically the case for a president's party. But they have one big problem. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his team still have not yet landed a top-tier Democratic challenger against the famously formidable Collins. 'I'm very hopeful we will have the strongest candidate possible for Maine,' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who leads the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, told CNN. 'I'm bullish on Maine.' Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders have begun their outreach to key candidates. Schumer has personally spoken about the race with Mills, the 77-year-old governor who recently clashed with Trump over issues including transgender athletes this year, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversations. Mills, those sources said, was noncommittal on a run and has publicly downplayed the idea that she may try to take on Collins. Another Democrat the party sees as a formidable challenger to Collins: Golden, a 42-year-old centrist who's urged his party to be less elitist and more open to Trump. But there's a catch. Many Democrats do not believe Golden would run against Collins out of principle, since she is his former boss — a highly unusual position in hyperpartisan Washington. Golden once worked as a staffer in Collins' DC office and retains close ties to the senator. (In Collins' last race, Golden remained neutral to preserve his personal relationship with the senator.) Asked about whether he would run against Collins, Golden quipped: 'Is she running?' Golden's future has been closely watched in Washington for another key reason. His House seat is one of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's top targets in an extremely narrow battlefield in 2026. And in Washington, no one knows exactly which office he'll be seeking in 2026 — House, Senate or governor, according to half a dozen sources involved in congressional campaigns. 'According to the press, I'm running for all of them,' Golden said in an interview, when asked about his path in 2026. He would not reveal his preference and said the decision is 'not top of mind' because he is focused on his job in the House. 'I'm on my own timeline,' he told CNN. Democrats are tracking one other candidate already in the race: Jordan Wood, who previously served as chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter. But whether Wood — a novice candidate who calls himself a 'pro-democracy advocate' — could run toe-to-toe with Collins remains unclear. Asked about possible candidates, Gillibrand declined to elaborate, telling CNN: 'I'm not going to tell you. We talk to lots of people.' But Collins' complicated relationship with Trump adds another twist to the race — especially if the president continues to attack her, something that could help her appeal to independents but turn off MAGA-aligned voters in Maine. Collins voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial after the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack and has long refused to say whom she voted for in the 2020 election — while writing in Nikki Haley in the 2024 election and publicly announcing she wouldn't support Trump in 2016. This year, she voted against some of his nominees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. But she has cast key votes to help advance her party's agenda over the years and some of Trump's most controversial picks, whether it was to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And now in the 53-47 GOP-led Senate, Collins remains one of the few swing votes — including over Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' that is expected to include deep cuts to an array of federal programs. Asked about how much harder Trump would make her race, Collins pointed to her own brand in the state. 'I always run on my own record, and that's what I will do this time,' Collins told CNN. Like Collins, whatever Golden decides could determine the fate of his ultra-competitive House seat. With Golden's decision unclear, a high-profile Republican candidate — former Maine Gov. Paul LePage — jumped into the race for the sprawling northern Maine district last week. The 76-year-old former governor is a lightning rod in Maine politics. And he's now seeking a comeback after his loss to Mills for governor in 2022. Despite some of LePage's contentious past statements on Trump, national Republicans believe his high name ID and fundraising ability will help them lock down a seat that's eluded them for the past four cycles. 'We'll pick up Maine-02 whether Jared Golden runs or not,' Rep. Richard Hudson, the House GOP campaign chief, said. 'We came close last time. The district went for Trump. It's our district.' Asked if he'd feel better if Golden didn't run, Hudson said: 'Sure. Open seat is always easier.' House Democrats are eager to keep Golden in their chamber in a midterm cycle in which every single seat matters to determine which party holds the gavel come January 2027. Rep. Brad Schneider, a senior Illinois Democrat involved in House races, said the party would still attempt to hold Golden's seat if he decided not to run. 'No one's irreplaceable. People retire, people move on,' Schneider told CNN. But he offered this advice to his fellow Democrat: 'If he asks my opinion, I want to keep working with Jared.' CNN's Ted Barrett, Casey Riddle and Alison Main contributed to this report.
CNN
11-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Susan Collins takes steps toward 2026 run as big-name Democrats weigh potential challenge
Democrats have one big hope as they scramble to find a top-tier recruit against GOP Sen. Susan Collins in Maine: Maybe she won't run at all. Collins, the lone New England Senate Republican, who is at the peak of her influence over 28 years in the chamber, has fended off one Democratic foe after another in hard-fought races to hang on to her seat. And again, her seat is pivotal in the Democrats' uphill climb back to the majority. But Collins, 72, has yet to make a formal announcement that she'll run in what will almost certainly be a bruising battle for a sixth term. And high-profile potential Democratic candidates, like Gov. Janet Mills and Rep. Jared Golden, are weighing their next moves as they await the veteran senator's final decision. In an interview with CNN, Collins signaled she does plan to run but wasn't ready to say so officially. 'It's certainly my inclination to run and I'm preparing to do so,' Collins told CNN late last week. 'I very much enjoy serving the people of Maine. I've obviously not made a formal announcement because it's too early for that.' National Republicans believe that Collins — a moderate who chairs the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and sits in the bluest GOP-held seat in the nation — will indeed be on the ballot next November. But if Collins decides against another run, it would transform the race and give Democrats their best chance at flipping a seat in the midterms. Yet if Collins does run, Democrats insist they can still flip the seat, buoyed by public and private polling that shows the incumbent facing new weaknesses because of the unpopularity of President Donald Trump and the expectation that it will be a difficult midterm for Republicans — as is historically the case for a president's party. But they have one big problem. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his team still have not yet landed a top-tier Democratic challenger against the famously formidable Collins. 'I'm very hopeful we will have the strongest candidate possible for Maine,' Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who leads the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, told CNN. 'I'm bullish on Maine.' Behind the scenes, Democratic leaders have begun their outreach to key candidates. Schumer has personally spoken about the race with Mills, the 77-year-old governor who recently clashed with Trump over issues including transgender athletes this year, according to two sources with knowledge of the conversations. Mills, those sources said, was noncommittal on a run and has publicly downplayed the idea that she may try to take on Collins. Another Democrat the party sees as a formidable challenger to Collins: Golden, a 42-year-old centrist who's urged his party to be less elitist and more open to Trump. But there's a catch. Many Democrats do not believe Golden would run against Collins out of principle, since she is his former boss — a highly unusual position in hyperpartisan Washington. Golden once worked as a staffer in Collins' DC office and retains close ties to the senator. (In Collins' last race, Golden remained neutral to preserve his personal relationship with the senator.) Asked about whether he would run against Collins, Golden quipped: 'Is she running?' Golden's future has been closely watched in Washington for another key reason. His House seat is one of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson's top targets in an extremely narrow battlefield in 2026. And in Washington, no one knows exactly which office he'll be seeking in 2026 — House, Senate or governor, according to half a dozen sources involved in congressional campaigns. 'According to the press, I'm running for all of them,' Golden said in an interview, when asked about his path in 2026. He would not reveal his preference and said the decision is 'not top of mind' because he is focused on his job in the House. 'I'm on my own timeline,' he told CNN. Democrats are tracking one other candidate already in the race: Jordan Wood, who previously served as chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter. But whether Wood — a novice candidate who calls himself a 'pro-democracy advocate' — could run toe-to-toe with Collins remains unclear. Asked about possible candidates, Gillibrand declined to elaborate, telling CNN: 'I'm not going to tell you. We talk to lots of people.' But Collins' complicated relationship with Trump adds another twist to the race — especially if the president continues to attack her, something that could help her appeal to independents but turn off MAGA-aligned voters in Maine. Collins voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial after the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack and has long refused to say whom she voted for in the 2020 election — while writing in Nikki Haley in the 2024 election and publicly announcing she wouldn't support Trump in 2016. This year, she voted against some of his nominees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. But she has cast key votes to help advance her party's agenda over the years and some of Trump's most controversial picks, whether it was to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And now in the 53-47 GOP-led Senate, Collins remains one of the few swing votes — including over Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' that is expected to include deep cuts to an array of federal programs. Asked about how much harder Trump would make her race, Collins pointed to her own brand in the state. 'I always run on my own record, and that's what I will do this time,' Collins told CNN. Like Collins, whatever Golden decides could determine the fate of his ultra-competitive House seat. With Golden's decision unclear, a high-profile Republican candidate — former Maine Gov. Paul LePage — jumped into the race for the sprawling northern Maine district last week. The 76-year-old former governor is a lightning rod in Maine politics. And he's now seeking a comeback after his loss to Mills for governor in 2022. Despite some of LePage's contentious past statements on Trump, national Republicans believe his high name ID and fundraising ability will help them lock down a seat that's eluded them for the past four cycles. 'We'll pick up Maine-02 whether Jared Golden runs or not,' Rep. Richard Hudson, the House GOP campaign chief, said. 'We came close last time. The district went for Trump. It's our district.' Asked if he'd feel better if Golden didn't run, Hudson said: 'Sure. Open seat is always easier.' House Democrats are eager to keep Golden in their chamber in a midterm cycle in which every single seat matters to determine which party holds the gavel come January 2027. Rep. Brad Schneider, a senior Illinois Democrat involved in House races, said the party would still attempt to hold Golden's seat if he decided not to run. 'No one's irreplaceable. People retire, people move on,' Schneider told CNN. But he offered this advice to his fellow Democrat: 'If he asks my opinion, I want to keep working with Jared.' CNN's Ted Barrett, Casey Riddle and Alison Main contributed to this report.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislature poised to pass emergency bill to better prepare Maine for extreme weather
Central Maine Power lineworkers shared photos of some of the destruction they encountered from the Dec. 18 storm. (Courtesy of CMP) After an initial passage vote Tuesday in the Maine Senate, an emergency measure to better prepare the state for extreme weather events passed the Maine House of Representatives Thursday. Both chambers took their initial passage votes under the hammer for the symbolic first bill of the session, which is meant to represent a coming together of the parties. Sponsored by party leadership in both chambers, LD 1 is a three-part proposal that seeks to improve emergency communications, create funding opportunities to make Maine homes more resilient and establish a new State Resilience Office to address flooding and other impacts. The Legislature's Housing and Economic Development Committee amended the bill to clarify certain language and flush out the Home Resiliency Program, which would provide grants to help homeowners better equip their houses to withstand severe weather events. Since the bill contains an emergency preamble, it will require two-thirds support in the next round of votes, known as enactment votes. If that support is secured, the bill would take effect immediately upon passage, rather than waiting the usual 90 days after the session adjourns. The legislation follows the interim recommendations from the Maine Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission, which Mills established by executive order last spring in response to the series of severe storms that caused an estimated $90 million in damage to public infrastructure across Maine last winter. It also builds upon $60 million for storm relief that was included in the state's supplemental budget last year. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A look back at some notable action in the Legislature this week
The Maine Senate in session in the State House in Augusta. Feb. 25, 2025. (Photo: Jim Neuger/ Maine Morning Star) Following the establishment of the state reptile and amphibian last week, lawmakers took up the difficult question of whether the song 'Welcome Home' by Winter Harbor resident Gordon Thomas Ward should become the official state anthem. Despite lyrics like 'Cadillac and tourmaline, Lighthouses and LL Bean, hardest workin' folks you'll ever know,' senators rejected the committee recommendation to adopt the song (LD 373) by a vote of 12-17 though their colleagues in the House backed the tune 91-52. With a divided report, the issue will be back before senators next week. The House also saw a lengthy discussion about the preservation of Sears Island, which has been slated to be the new home of an offshore wind port (if that comes to fruition). Gov. Janet Mills signed emergency legislation (LD 966) passed by both chambers that will allow access by state agencies and hospitals to certain confidential probate court records if the access is in the public interest. Other votes of note: Senators voted Tuesday to confirm D'arcy Main-Boyington for appointment to the Gambling Control Board. Following engrossment in the Senate, the House almost unanimously passed an emergency measure (LD 466) to extend the law governing electric power and service residential rates for military veterans organizations. Rep. Randall Greenwood (R-Wales) asked for a roll call vote for the enactment of LD 100, 'An Act to Increase the Expenditure Limit for the Informal Bidding Process for the Selection of Professional, Architect and Engineer Services,' which had already passed both chambers. Greenwood argued the bill allowed the state to award contracts 'to friends and neighbors without going through a formal bidding process,' to which Rep. Sue Salisbury (D-Westbrook) replied that the bill was requested by the department to 'make it a more tenable process.' It was enacted by a vote of 72-68. After several speeches on the importance of conserving the beauty and cultural significance of Sears Island, the House voted 76-68 in favor of the Energy Committee's recommendation against LD 226, which would extend existing conservation easement protections to cover more of Sears Island, including a portion that has been reserved for development of an offshore wind port by the Maine Department of Transportation. Bill sponsor Rep. Reagan Paul requested a roll call, and encouraged her colleagues to support the bill saying it is not about offshore wind but rather about protecting Sears island. Paul said opponents of the bill had intentionally misframed its intent. A bill (LD 80) to establish the Seppala Siberian sleddog as the official state dog passed under the hammer. The House on Thursday unanimously passed an amended version of LD 48 'An Act to Update References to the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986 Contained in the Maine Revised Statutes,' which Rep. Shelley Rudnicki explained, is done every year 'to be in conformity with the federal government and make it easier for taxpayers.: Bills that were voted against under the hammer (without a roll call) included: LD 183, An Act to Cap Publicly Owned Land Area at No More than 50 Percent of Any County; LD 181, An Act to Modify the Calculation of Pupil Counts Used for Determination of School Administrative Unit Operating Costs; LD 927, An Act to Require Chaplains in School Administrative Units; 479, An Act to Facilitate Expansion of the State's Recycling Efforts Under the Beverage Container Redemption Program; LD 986, An Act to Eliminate the Crime of Felony Murder; LD 223, An Act to Amend the Mining Excise Tax Laws; LD 399, An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding the Retention of Proceeds from Municipal Foreclosures; LD 565, An Act to Amend the Definition of 'Homestead' Under the Homestead Property Tax Exemption Laws; LD 892, An Act to Expand Property Tax Relief for Veterans and Their Surviving Spouses, Minor Children and Parents; LD 909, An Act to Expand Property Tax Relief for Veterans and Their Survivors; LD 2, An Act to Allow Military Vehicles Purchased for Civilian Use to Be Registered and Operated on Maine Roads; LD 478, An Act to Reduce Maximum Speeds on Roads Close to Residences. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
