Latest news with #Mainers
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Susan Collins Dealt New Polling Blow Ahead of 2026 Midterms
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine was dealt a polling blow ahead of her potential reelection bid as the 2026 midterms approach, with Democrats hoping to unseat her in the Pine Tree State. Why It Matters Collins has continued gaining reelection despite Maine supporting Democrats in presidential elections since 1992, partly due to her moderate voting record. But Democrats are hoping a strong national push and diminishing approval from constituents during President Donald Trump's second administration could make her vulnerable next year. Whether Collins can retain support among independents and moderate Democrats will have key implications for whether she will be reelected next year. What To Know Morning Consult released its quarterly poll of senators' approval ratings this week and found that Collins is among four with negative scores. Only 38 percent of Mainers approve of her job performance, according to the pollster, which noted it is a "record low" for Collins. Meanwhile, 54 percent disapprove of her performance—a high point in the survey's history, spanning to 2017. That marks a notable decline from the fourth quarter of 2024, when 47 percent of Mainers approved of Collins and 44 percent disapproved, according to Morning Consult. In the third quarter of 2024, 50 percent of Mainers approved, and 42 percent disapproved of Collins. Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine speaks in Washington, D.C., on June 4. Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins of Maine speaks in Washington, D.C., on June Breakthrough T1D Morning Consult polls are based on a "three-month roll-up" of responses from daily tracking surveys among registered voters. Collins last won reelection in 2020 against Democrat Sara Gideon. At the time, most polls suggested Gideon had a lead, but Collins ultimately ended up winning with just over 50 percent of the vote. The only other senators with negative approval ratings in the poll were GOP Senators Joni Ernst of Iowa, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Despite hopes of a blue wave, Democrats are facing a tough Senate map, making Collins' seat a must-win as they aim to regain control of Congress' upper chamber. In addition to Maine—which backed former Vice President Kamala Harris by about 7 percentage points—North Carolina, which Trump carried by about 3 percentage points, is viewed as Democrats' other top flip opportunity. Who Could Susan Collins Face in 2026 Midterms? On the Democratic side, two candidates have declared their intent to run. David Costello, who ran in 2024 and held several different positions in Maryland, including acting secretary of the state's Department of the Environment, is running again. Jordan Wood, who served as chief of staff to former Representative Katie Porter, a California Democrat, is also running. Governor Janet Mills has also not ruled out running. Some Democrats view her as their best chance of winning, as she has also won statewide by comfortable margins. Morning Consult's latest gubernatorial approval ratings, however, also delivered troubling news to Mills, though she was still narrowly above water with Mainers, scoring a +2 approval rating. "Janet Mills of Maine is term-limited as governor and viewed as one of the Democratic Party's best options to challenge moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins in next year's midterm elections. But she's also the most unpopular Democratic governor in the country, and one of the only to lose popularity since the last quarter of 2024," the report reads. Collins has distanced herself from Trump, voting against his signature "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" over Medicaid cuts. She has long cast herself as the most moderate Republican in the Senate, which has helped her win elections. A Pan Atlantic Research Poll, which surveyed 840 likely Maine voters from May 12 to May 26, had better news for Collins. In that survey, 49 percent of respondents viewed her favorably, while only 45 percent viewed her unfavorably. A Collins spokesperson pointed to that poll when reached by Newsweek. Conversely, a University of New Hampshire poll released last month found that only 14 percent of Mainers view Collins favorably, while 57 percent view her unfavorably. An additional 26 percent were neutral. That poll surveyed 846 Maine residents from June 19 to June 23, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. What People Are Saying Nick Puglia, regional press secretary for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, previously told Newsweek: "No one fights harder for Maine than Susan Collins, and she continues delivering big wins like protecting Social Security for over 25,000 Mainers and millions of Americans." Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of Cook Political Report, wrote on X: "For all the talk of Dem SEN opportunities in NC, TX and even IA, the red lights are really blaring in MAINE, where Morning Consult polling shows Trump underwater by 17 pts. SEN. Collins at -16. And yet NO serious Dem is taking the plunge to challenge her." What Happens Next Collins had not made a formal announcement about her reelection bid, but told CNN in May it is her "inclination to run" and that she is "preparing to do so." The Cook Political Report classifies the race as "Lean Republican," meaning it is "considered competitive," but that Collins "has an advantage." Sabato's Crystal Ball also classifies the race as leaning toward Republicans.
The Hill
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Maine Family Planning sues Trump administration over Medicaid cuts
Maine Family Planning filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Trump administration seeking to restore Medicaid funding that is set to be stripped under the president's sweeping tax and spending package. A provision in the law bans health care providers who perform abortions and receive more than $800,000 in federal reimbursements from receiving Medicaid funding for one year. Republicans included the provision in the legislation to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood even though the organization is not named in the language of the law. Planned Parenthood quickly filed an injunction against the Trump administration after President Trump signed his 'big, beautiful bill' into law and a judge temporarily paused the measure's enforcement. But the provisions stipulations mean that Maine Family Planning, which oversees the largest network of reproductive health clinics in Maine, will also be cut off from Medicaid reimbursements. 'The provision's parameters were designed to create plausible deniability that its sole target was Planned Parenthood; as a result, MFP got caught in its net,' the lawsuit reads. If the provision is enacted, thousands of low-income Mainers will lose access to abortion care as well as primary and reproductive health care unrelated to abortion, the organization argues. The Center for Reproductive Rights filed the lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on behalf of Maine Family Planning. In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs ask for emergency relief from the provision so that the nonprofit organization would not be forced to turn away patients who rely on Medicaid and who otherwise are not able to afford to pay out-of-pocket for health care. They argue withholding Medicaid funding to Maine Family Planning denies it equal protection under the law since other organizations that also receive Medicaid reimbursements for providing the same reproductive health services are not subject to the provision. 'Targeting health care providers who serve the populations with the fewest resources, and doing it by witholding funding simply because they also provide abortion care, is completely opposed to the goal of the Medicaid program—to ensure that adults and children with limited resources can access health care,' the lawsuit states. Maine Family Planning serves about 8,700 people a year either at one its 18 clinics or via its mobile unit, according to George Hill, president and CEO of Maine Family Planning. 'Tens of thousands' of other patients receive health care at one of MFP's subcontracted clinics throughout the state, the organization said in a statement. 'In a state like Maine, which is large enough to include the rest of New England by geographic area, this is a big threat,' said Hill. 'We don't have patients that are extremely mobile, especially in winter time. We have one highway going North and South. There is no highway going East and West.' About half MFP's patients at their primary clinics get their health insurance coverage through Medicaid, and 70 percent of their patients do not see other providers for health care needs. Hill said at the moment MFP has issued a moratorium on accepting new patients at its primary care clinics but is continuing to care for existing patients with Medicaid and holding off on filing insurance claims. 'We can't do that forever, obviously,' he said.
01-07-2025
- Business
Which Republican senators voted against Trump's agenda bill and why
President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill came down to the wire as Senate Republican leaders scrambled to get all GOP members on board before the final vote Tuesday. In the end, three long-serving GOP members, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina voted against, forcing Vice President JD Vance to break a 50-50 tie. Each of the three has explained their reasons for bucking the president. Susan Collins One of the mostly closely watched as the vote neared was Collins, who had been on the fence due to the bill's proposed Medicaid cuts. "Approximately 400,000 Mainers – nearly a third of the state's population – depend on this program," she said in a statement after voting no. "A dramatic reduction in future Medicaid funding, an estimated $5.9 billion in Maine over the next 10 years, could threaten not only Mainers' access to health care, but also the very existence of several of our state's rural hospitals." Collins added that the bill had "additional problems." "The tax credits that energy entrepreneurs have relied on should have been gradually phased out so as not to waste the work that has already been put into these innovative new projects and prevent them from being completed," she said. Thom Tillis Tillis has been extremely vocal in his opposition sine the weekend, drawing attention for a passionate floor speech citing Medicaid provisions he claimed would hurt his North Carolina constituents. During a closed-door GOP conference meeting two weeks ago, Tillis is reported to have made the point that Medicaid coverage for more than 600,000 North Carolinians would be at risk under the Senate's proposal and asked his colleagues to consider how the policy would affect their own states -- even providing state-specific data on a handout. "I just encouraged other members to go to their states and just measure how ... take a look at the proposed cuts and tell me whether or not you can absorb it in the normal course of business, and in many cases, you're gonna find that you can't," Tillis told reporters at the Capitol last week. Trump lashed out against Tillis on his social media platform and to the press and threatened to field primary challengers. Tillis announced on Saturday that he would not seek reelection. Rand Paul Paul, a staunch advocate for keeping spending and the debt ceiling in check, posted on X that he wanted the bill to include a 90% reduction in the ceiling. "No earmarks. No handouts. Just real fiscal reform. I wasn't looking for favors. I wasn't horse-trading. I was fighting for the American people and against our out-of-control debt," he said. "Bottom line: I offered my vote for fiscal sanity. Congress chose to sell out taxpayers instead. Only once the bill is released, we will know what the true price was," Paul added.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Susan Collins votes 'no' as Senate approves Trump budget bill
Jul. 1—Sen. Susan Collins on Tuesday voted against President Donald Trump's marquis budget bill that would cut $1 trillion in health care and food assistance while strengthening border security and extending tax cuts that disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans. Collins was one of three Republicans to vote against the bill, which included a $5 trillion increase to the debt limit. But her opposition was not enough to stop the bill. It led to a 50-50 tie, which was broken by Vice President JD Vance. Collins' support for the bill was in doubt Tuesday morning after the Senate voted against her amendment to increase taxes on the ultra-wealthy and build up an emergency fund for rural hospitals expected to lose billions of dollars in Medicaid funding. Prior to the final vote, Collins told reporters in Washington, D.C. that she continues to have "serious reservations" about the bill. They include proposed cuts to Medicaid, which provides insurance for about 400,000 Maine residents, or one out of over four Mainers. "I truly don't know what's going to happen," Collins said Tuesday. "I have some serious reservations about the bill. I'm going to wait until we're done (to) know what direct direction we're going in before announcing my decision." Collins, who is the only New England Republican in Congress, is up for reelection next year. And Democrats have already pounced on her decision to vote in support of advancing the bill over the weekend, despite concerns that it could force rural hospitals to reduce services or close altogether. Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" seeks to extend his 2017 tax cuts, which predominantly benefited the wealthy and are set to expire at the end of the year, while increasing spending on national and border security and slashing safety net programs. The bill would cut about $1 trillion from Medicaid and food assistance and is expected to add more than $3 trillion to the national debt. Collins voted over the weekend to advance the bill, helping it clear the a key procedural hurdle by a 51-49 vote, but she has not committed to supporting it. Her vote is among those being closely watched in the Senate. Republicans hold 53 seats and can only afford to lose one more vote and still send the bill back to the House for additional consideration. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have already come out against the bill. Tillis announced he would not seek reelection. Collins made her case on the Senate floor late Monday during a so-called vote-a-rama, where Democrats forced votes on a series of amendments, including several efforts to eliminate cuts to Medicaid, which is estimated to cause 11.8 million to lose their health insurance, including 60,000 Mainers. Collins said her amendment would have doubled the $25 billion included in the bill to help rural hospitals cope with the cut in Medicaid and expand the list of eligible providers to include community health centers, nursing homes, ambulance services, skilled nursing facilities and others. The increase would have been funded by allowing Trump's tax cuts to expire on the wealthiest Americans — families earning more than $50 million and individuals earning more than $25 million. "Rural providers — especially rural hospitals and nursing homes — are under great financial strain right now, with many having recently closed and others at risk of closing," Collins said. "When these facilities shut their doors, the people they serve are often left without access to health care. This amendment would help keep them open and caring for those who live in these rural communities." The Senate rejected the amendment by a 78-22 vote shortly after midnight. It was supported by 18 Republicans, including Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. U.S. Sen. Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, also supported the amendment. Murkowski is also being closely watched and is under intense pressure from Senate leadership, who have tried to sweeten the deal by providing additional concessions for her home state, including exempting Alaska from having to pay a greater share of benefits provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Collins and Murkowski were the only Republicans to support an amendment from Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington that sought to eliminate a provision that would prohibit Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding for health care services provided to low-income women. The amendment failed, 51-49. King, meanwhile, has firmly opposed the bill, saying during a press conference last week that it was "the worst, most regressive and most harmful piece of legislation I have ever seen," and that he had "no choice whatsoever but to vote 'no' on this bill." He reiterated his opposition in a floor speech over the weekend. He called on the Senate to kill the bill and draft a new one that maintains tax breaks for working families, while allowing those breaks to expire for people earning more than $400,000, which would eliminate the need for cuts to the safety net, including food assistance. King said the bill could lead to the closures of up to five hospitals in Maine. "All this damage to give a tax break to guys making a million bucks," King said. "It is a shame. And it's embarrassing to even be debating this bill." Republicans are hoping to meet a self-imposed deadline of sending the bill to Trump's desk by Friday. If approved, the budget would have to go back to the House, which passed its own version of the bill on June 22, with both Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, and Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, opposed. This story will be updated. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Will Jared Golden or Paul LePage win Maine congressional race? New poll gives early look
An early look at the race for Maine's Second Congressional District found that current Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine and Republican former Maine Gov. Paul LePage are statistically tied, but that LePage is more popular. Both LePage and Golden announced their intention to run for the seat in May. The election will be in the fall of 2026. If Golden wins again, it will be the fifth time that the Democrat has won the same district that voted for President Donald Trump the past three presidential elections. However, a poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released June 26 found that 50% of Maine Second District residents said they would vote for LePage if the election was held today and 47% said they would vote Golden. LePage is also more popular, with 43% saying they have a favorable view of him compared with 21% for Golden. This is largely driven by Golden's lack of popularity with Democrats, of whom only 31% say they have a favorable opinion, 40% are neutral, and 20% have an unfavorable opinion. In comparison, 81% of Republicans say they have a favorable opinion of LePage. This may have to do with Golden's status as a 'blue dog Democrat:' he has historically been a strong supporter of gun rights and often distances himself from the national party. In 2024, he angered Democrats for refusing to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president and saying he would be 'OK' with Trump winning. The election is expected to be very close, as many of Golden's past elections have been in the Second District. The poll was based on the results of 846 online surveys completed between June 19 and 23. It has a margin of error of +/-3.4%. Per the poll, 55% of Maine residents approve of Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills' handling of her job, a sharp uptick from February, when less Mainers approved of Mills (48%) than disapproved (49%). Mills gained national attention for pushing back on Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from school sports teams, and that action is reflected in the poll. Of those who approve of her handling of her job, 50% say it is because of her opposition to Trump. Of those who disapprove, 37% cite her handling of LGBTQ+ issues and 35% say her handling of the budget or finances. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has said she is planning to run for a sixth term in 2026. However, she is unpopular in the state, with 57% of Mainers saying they have an unfavorable opinion of her, including 79% of Democrats, 60% of Independents and 29% of Republicans. Just 29% of Republicans find her favorable, and just 14% do overall. Mills has not said whether she is planning to run for Senate, but some have floated her name as a challenger to Collins. The poll found she is more popular, with 51% finding her favorable and 41% unfavorable. But the party divide is deep: 90% of Democrat said they have a favorable opinion of her while 91% of Republicans say they have an unfavorable opinion. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: New poll: Early look at race for Congress in Maine's Trump-leaning district
