Every once in a while, the moderate voting record of Republican Senator Susan Collins bothers me. Those feelings dissipate as soon as I remember she is from Maine, a reliably blue state. In addition, she’s also overwhelmingly popular in Maine, and her seat will remain red until she decides to retire. If you don’t believe me, check out this amazing poll on her re-election:
In the U.S. Senate race, Republican Sen. Susan Collins leads Democratic challenger Shenna Bellows, 72 percent to 17 percent, with 10 percent undecided.
Collins’ support is rooted in both political parties and independents. She is backed by a majority of Republicans (86 percent), independents (87 percent) and Democrats (53 percent).
Bellows does best among those who voted for 2010 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Libby Mitchell, 52 percent to 38 percent. However, Collins “sweeps nearly every other demographic category,” according to a UNH analysis of poll results.
Basically, only the most faithful of Democrat voters are backing Bellows, while Republicans, Independents and even most self-identified (yet soft) Democrats are backing Collins. While the voting record of Collins and her former colleague Olympia Snowe may be annoying at best and infuriating at worst, we need to remember where the representation comes from. The most conservative candidate that can win a race will always have my support, and damn Collins can win.
