CBS News reported that Republican Sen. Susan Collins campaigned with former West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin in Maine on Wednesday, where she challenged President Donald Trump’s Russia policy while seeking a sixth Senate term.
CBS presented the event as part of Collins’ effort to appeal to voters beyond her party. She is the only Republican senator running for reelection in a state Trump lost, and CBS News rates the race a toss-up. In 2020, Collins won by more than 8 points while Trump lost Maine by 9 points, the outlet reported.
After breakfast with Collins and Maine voters, Manchin said she “represents her state of Maine,” describing her as a senator who serves the state rather than a political party.
During Collins’ tour of a New Balance factory, a reporter asked about U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s remarks connecting Russian President Vladimir Putin with the release of a jailed American. Witkoff described Putin as a humanitarian, CBS reported. Collins rejected the characterization, calling Putin “a warmonger, a thug” and saying he was the aggressor in the war against Ukraine.
Collins opposed Trump’s waiver of new sanctions on Russia. She said a proposed arrangement to import Russian diesel would give Moscow more funding for attacks on Ukraine.
Collins has also criticized Trump’s handling of the Iran war, saying he lacked a sound plan and the conflict should end. At a debate last week, Democratic challenger Troy Jackson questioned her sincerity, arguing she could use her role as Appropriations chair to cut war funding but had not done so. The candidates have also clashed in a separate debate exchange covered earlier by EconoTimes.
Outside the breakfast stop, protesters called for Collins to retire and displayed signs and cutouts of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whose confirmation she supported. Collins’ supporters answered with chants of “six more years” when she went out to speak with reporters.
Elaine Makas, a Democrat from Lewiston who served in Maine’s Legislature between 2002 and 2008, also joined the protest. She said Collins was a nice person but argued her voting record mattered more, saying Collins had aligned herself with Trump. Collins has argued that she often votes against Trump’s wishes, CBS reported.
Maine voters are scheduled to choose between Collins and Jackson on Nov. 3.
