Susan Collins
Trump’s trade war with Canada could rattle economies in states with key Senate races
PORTLAND, Maine | President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters’ economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor. The dispute flared over the weekend after […]
GOP Sen. Murkowski will oppose Blanche’s attorney general nomination, narrowing confirmation path
WASHINGTON | Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Friday she will oppose Todd Blanche’s nomination as attorney general, narrowing the confirmation path for President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Justice Department. The Alaska senator, who joins GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine in opposing Blanche, cited the Justice Department’s handling of files related to disgraced […]
Maine Democrats running to replace Platner as Senate nominee scramble to woo his voters
The tight timeline to replace former Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner has left Democratic hopefuls scrambling to woo his progressive base while trying to turn the focus from the disgraced oysterman to defeating Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November. It’s a delicate balance for the candidates, who are vying to face Collins in a contest […]
Who will replace Platner on the Maine ballot? These Democrats are raising their hands
PORTLAND, Maine | Democrats in Maine began jockeying Thursday to become the new candidate for a pivotal U.S. Senate seat after progressive nominee Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from the race after a sexual assault allegation. Democrats need to pick a candidate to replace Platner on the ballot by July 27, according to state […]
Platner may be finished, but voters’ hunger for change and willingness to take risks will remain
DENVER | With Graham Platner’s campaign teetering from an allegation of sexual assault, there’s no shortage of people arguing that the 41-year-old Maine oysterman and progressive political neophyte was always too risky for a key Senate race. However, it’s likely more candidates will follow his path in the future. That’s because Platner’s starburst candidacy followed […]
Democrats begin pulling Platner endorsements after Maine candidate faces sexual assault allegation
A woman who previously dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a Politico report released Monday, leading prominent supporters to pull their endorsements and throwing a must-win race for the party into turmoil. Platner denied the allegation, but said […]
Trump accuses Democrats of hypocrisy on Platner, despite questions about his own conduct
WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump laced into Graham Platner on Wednesday, calling the Senate candidate from Maine a “thug” and a “pig” and suggesting that the Democratic Party was hypocritical for lining up behind someone with so many questions about his past personal conduct and treatment of women. That line of political attack was striking […]
Tuesday’s takeaways: Platner’s big night, Clyburn carries on and Trump’s support gets mixed results
WASHINGTON | Nevada, South Carolina and North Dakota hosted primary elections Tuesday, but much of the political world was focused on Maine’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest. The results were never in question. Neither Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins nor Democratic challenger Graham Platner faced serious opposition for their party’s nomination. And yet Tuesday marked an […]
AP Exclusive: Senate Democrats plan to force votes on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rollbacks
NEW YORK | Senate Democrats plan to force several votes on the Trump administration’s dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a maneuver aimed at making vulnerable Republicans take politically difficult votes in an election year. The plan to hold the votes Wednesday, shared exclusively with The Associated Press, is tied to rule changes or […]