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By Andrew Stanton
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President Donald Trump on Thursday said U.S. Senator Susan Collins, facing a competitive race in November, “should never be elected to office again.”
Trump’s comments came after the Maine Republican voted in favor of a War Powers Resolution on Thursday that would curb the president's authority to launch further strikes on Venezuela. Collins’ spokesperson Blake Kernen responded to Trump's Truth Social post in a statement to Newsweek.
“It’s clear the President is frustrated about today’s vote. While Senator Collins supported the operation to seize Nicolas Maduro, she has a serious disagreement with the administration over the possibility of committing additional U.S. forces or entering into any long-term military involvement in Venezuela or Greenland without specific congressional authorization,” Kernen said.
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Ronald Schmidt, professor of political science at the University of Southern Maine, told Newsweek Trump’s comments are unlikely to shake up the race and that Collins remains a “difficult” candidate for Democrats to defeat.
Why It Matters
Maine is viewed as a top target for Democrats hoping to reclaim control of the Senate. The state generally leans Democratic, backing former Vice President Kamala Harris by about 7 percentage points in the 2024 presidential race. But Collins, a centrist and long-term incumbent, has proved popular in the state, defying national trends in the past. Democrats believe this could become her toughest race yet, as polls point to a close race.
What To Know
Collins and four other Republicans voted in favor of the War Powers Resolution, sparking Trump’s ire on Truth Social.
"Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again," the president wrote.
The comment, however, may have little impact on the race in Maine, Schmidt told Newsweek in a phone interview.
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“The hardcore of Trump’s base in Maine either have already written Collins off or made their peace with her,” he said. “I doubt this will cost them much in terms of her support. She’s very good at holding her electoral coalition that she’s created of basically Republicans, independents, even some Democratic-leaning independents and even some Democrats.”
There’s a “slight chance” that Trump's comment could even help her in a general election, as some Maine Democrats “divorce her from Trump in their minds,” he said. Any primary challenge against her from the right would likely struggle, as many Republicans view her as “someone who is well placed in that seat,” he said.
The latest polling predicts a close race regardless of which Democratic candidate emerges. Governor Janet Mills is set to face Graham Platner in the Democratic primary.
A Pan Atlantic Research poll released late last year showed Collins in a tie against Mills, with each receiving 43 percent of the vote, while Platner held a 1-point lead (43 percent to 42 percent). It surveyed 820 likely voters from November 29 to December 7, 2025.
A poll from Maine People’s Resource Center similarly showed a close race. In a matchup against Mills, Collins led by 4 points (46 percent to 42 percent) while trailing Platner in a head-to-head by 4 points (45 percent to 41 percent).
The poll surveyed 783 Mainers from October 26 to October 29, 2025.
What People Are Saying
Mills, in a statement to Newsweek: “Susan never does the right or hard thing the first time when it’s needed most – only when it serves her politically. She is always a day late and a dollar short. To the President, I say ‘See you in the Senate!’ Wait until you see what I've got in store for your MAGA agenda.”
Schmidt, also to Newsweek: “At this point in time, I would not even try to make any kind of predictions. She’s going to be a difficult candidate for Democrats to defeat. Democrats are going to have to decide whether they want to support the current governor or the primary challenger from the left, Platner, and those would be two very different kinds of races. But in both cases, I think that Republicans stand a better chance of holding onto this seat with Collins than they would with a more Trump-connected, ideological challenger from the right.”
What Happens Next
Major forecasters like the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball view the race as a toss-up. Collins has not formally launched her reelection campaign but has indicated plans to run again. The Maine primary is set for June 9, with the general election being held in November.
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