By Meghan Durkin (VI)
Maine Senate Race — Senator Susan Collins (R) vs. Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon (D)
A Quick Look at the Candidates:
Republican Senator Susan Collins has spent most of her life in politics; after losing the race for governor of Maine in 1994, she won election to the senate in 1996 and has served in the Senate ever since. In her last reelection, in 2016, she won over 68% of the vote.
Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon hopes to take Collins’ long-held spot in the Senate. Gideon has served as a representative in the Maine House of Representatives for four terms; this is her second term as Maine’s Speaker of the House.
Policy Comparison:
- Taxes: There is an interesting parallel between the two candidates’ stances on tax policies. Gideon and Collins have both backed laws decreasing taxes. However, Collins has also swayed the other way; in 2017, she voted in favor of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act that reduced corporate taxes.
- On Abortion: Both candidates are pro-choice. Though, take a look at this NYT article from the summer for an interesting take on why pro-choice supporters question Collins.
- Why is the race so close?
- While Collins has won most of her previous races by landslides, her recent backing—or at least support—of President Trump’s agendas have seen her lose favor. After Collins voted in favor of confirming Brett Kavanaugh and voted against Trump’s impeachment, her typically more moderate agenda shifted. It is worth noting also that Collins was the lone GOP Senator to vote against Amy Coney Barret.
Stats to Keep in Mind:
- 2014 results — Collins wins with 68.5%
- 2018 results — Angus King, running as an independent, wins with 54.3%
- Polling for 2020 — As of early October, Gideon is in the lead by 7%. Take a look here for a more indepth view of the polling.