Collins rocks woman’s vote, 7,000 at a time Moore decision Thursday
PORTCAND, Maine — Republican Sen. Susan Collins on Tuesday took her 7,000th consecutive vote as a member of the U.S. Senate, extending a streak she has carefully maintained during more than two decades in the Senate.
The 66-year-old Collins is gearing up for a re-election race in 2020 that is expected to be competitive. She’s New England’s only Republican senator, and her extensive voting record, while an accomplishment, also gives her opponents ample ammunition. Collins said the streak shows her commitment to the job.
“Even in this toxic atmosphere, showing up for work, making sure Maine is represented and casting every vote, that’s something that people can relate to. They work hard. They expect their members of Congress to work hard, too,” Collins said.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Conservative Roy Moore of Alabama will announce this week if he is running for U.S. Senate in 2020.
Moore’s wife, Kayla Moore, confirmed that he will make an announcement on the Senate race Thursday. Moore, who lost in 2017 to Democrat Doug Jones, said last month that he was seriously considering another run.
Moore was defeated amid allegations of long ago sexual misconduct with teenagers. Moore denied the allegations.
Democrats are hoping that one vote in particular will come back to haunt Collins: her support last year for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Collins praised Kavanaugh as qualified and said the sexual assault allegations against him were uncorroborated. Kavanaugh denied the allegations.
Since then, several Democrats have been eyeing a challenge to Collins, encouraged by the nearly $4 million in crowdsourced money that was raised by her critics. Democratic lobbyist Betsy Sweet, a failed candidate for governor, announced last week that she’s running — and she won’t be the last.
When it comes to the voting streak, Collins has looked to a female mentor, the late Republican Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, who never missed a roll call for 13 years until being sidelined by surgery.
Known for her “Declaration of Conscience” speech that decried Mccarthyism, Smith was the first woman to serve in both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, and she was the first woman to be placed in nomination for the presidency at a major party’s convention.
Smith always wore a red rose. On Tuesday, Collins was presented with a red rose by her colleague from Maine, independent Sen. Angus King. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell joined King in praising Collins’ voting achievement.