Collins won re-election back in 2020 by the smallest margin of victory since her original Senate election back in 1996. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities to unseat her in 2026.
That said, as long as the campaign and messaging don’t mirror Sara Gideon’s in 2020 then it’ll be easier to challenge Collins. Maine can’t be targeted by Democrats like other states.
Sara Gideon was also handicapped by the fact that Mainers saw her as "not one of us". First of all, she is from Rhode Island and didn’t move to Maine until the age of 33. Second, Gideon is obviously not Caucasian; her father is from India and her mother, while her mother’s parents came from Armenia.
Sadly, such things matter to all-too-many Mainers, a significant portion of whom form a rather insular crowd.
Thanks for sharing the information. I didn’t know that history about Gideon.
What I understand is that the DSCC endorsing Gideon’s Senate campaign doomed the Democratic Party’s chances at winning the race. This is crazy considering she cut Collins’ margin of victory to single digits!
Angus King by contrast got re-elected in the 2024 Senate Race by nearly 18% points and happens to be an Independent Senator who caucuses with Democrats and is a reliable vote for the party. He’s also had a long history in Maine as he was Governor prior to being Senator.
I'm actually pretty bullish on taking Collins' seat in 2026. I think it's going to be an electoral bloodbath that year (pro-Dem that is) whereas 2020 was basically neutral politically. In addition, I subscribe to the theory that the Dem coalition is better served to relatively lower turnout elections these days (which I think 2026 will be - people are just tired of politics). Finally, I think our messaging will be much better - we'll focus on more than just abortion...
She can be defeated and we need to do so given the senate math. She won reelection with just 51% her worse performance since her first election in 1996.
I'm very skeptical. I'll literally believe it only if I see it. She could go the way of Senator Brown, but Downeasters are a lot more independent-minded and cross-voting than Buckeyes.
Maybe, but I think that is waning, Susan Collins being the only Republican from New England in either House of Congress is evidence of it. Maine is probably target #2 after NC specially if Cooper gets in and we can't give her a pass given the math and map of the Senate.
Per Susan Collins, she says she's been fighting to get this done since 2003.
I am willing to give Collins a break for her efforts in this. However, this doesn't mean she shouldn't be challenged hard for re-election in 2026.
Without picking up her seat in 2026, I see no path back to the majority!! 😢🇺🇲
Collins won re-election back in 2020 by the smallest margin of victory since her original Senate election back in 1996. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities to unseat her in 2026.
That said, as long as the campaign and messaging don’t mirror Sara Gideon’s in 2020 then it’ll be easier to challenge Collins. Maine can’t be targeted by Democrats like other states.
Sara Gideon was also handicapped by the fact that Mainers saw her as "not one of us". First of all, she is from Rhode Island and didn’t move to Maine until the age of 33. Second, Gideon is obviously not Caucasian; her father is from India and her mother, while her mother’s parents came from Armenia.
Sadly, such things matter to all-too-many Mainers, a significant portion of whom form a rather insular crowd.
Thanks for sharing the information. I didn’t know that history about Gideon.
What I understand is that the DSCC endorsing Gideon’s Senate campaign doomed the Democratic Party’s chances at winning the race. This is crazy considering she cut Collins’ margin of victory to single digits!
Angus King by contrast got re-elected in the 2024 Senate Race by nearly 18% points and happens to be an Independent Senator who caucuses with Democrats and is a reliable vote for the party. He’s also had a long history in Maine as he was Governor prior to being Senator.
https://www.cbsnews.com/video/why-sara-gideon-lost-senator-susan-collins-maine/
I'm actually pretty bullish on taking Collins' seat in 2026. I think it's going to be an electoral bloodbath that year (pro-Dem that is) whereas 2020 was basically neutral politically. In addition, I subscribe to the theory that the Dem coalition is better served to relatively lower turnout elections these days (which I think 2026 will be - people are just tired of politics). Finally, I think our messaging will be much better - we'll focus on more than just abortion...
Then they're very unlikely to flip the Senate unless she chooses to retire.
She can be defeated and we need to do so given the senate math. She won reelection with just 51% her worse performance since her first election in 1996.
I'm very skeptical. I'll literally believe it only if I see it. She could go the way of Senator Brown, but Downeasters are a lot more independent-minded and cross-voting than Buckeyes.
Maybe, but I think that is waning, Susan Collins being the only Republican from New England in either House of Congress is evidence of it. Maine is probably target #2 after NC specially if Cooper gets in and we can't give her a pass given the math and map of the Senate.