Maine Sen. Susan Collins revealed that she will run to keep her seat in the United States Senate, which she has held since 1996.
In a Wednesday morning email to her supporters, Collins, 67, touted her record of bipartisanship as a Republican senator and announced that she hopes to continue to be an independent vote in Washington.
“I promised the people of Maine a decision this fall on whether I would seek reelection,” Collins explained. “The fundamental question I had to ask myself in making my decision was this: in today’s polarized political environment, is there still a role for a centrist who believes in getting things done through compromise, collegiality, and bipartisanship? I have concluded that the answer to this question is ‘yes,’ and I will, therefore, seek the honor of continuing to serve as Maine’s United States Senator.”
Collins has had a pivotal role in the Senate and has often been one of the only swing votes in the upper chamber, including her controversial vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, which left her a target of harassment and threats for weeks after.
The Senate seat in Maine is considered a top pick-up option for Democrats looking to win a majority after years in the minority. Collins’s seat, along with the seats held by Arizona Sen. Martha McSally and Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, is considered one of the three “toss-up” races for Republican senators by Cook Political Report.
[Related: ‘Strong position to flip’: Susan Collins is top Democratic target in Senate battle]
Collins has built up a significant pool of money for her Senate bid. The latest FEC reports showed her having already raised $7 million for her race.
