https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/07/16/congress/white-house-collins-maine-00459055
White House officials have discussed potential candidates who could replace Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) if she elects not to run again in 2026, according to a person familiar with the conversation granted anonymity to speak about political strategy.
Though there is no discussion of pushing a primary on the 72-year old, President Donald Trump would love to see a “better option,” in place of one of his most persistent GOP critics, the person said.
Though she hasn’t formally launched a campaign, the Senate Appropriations chair confirmedTuesday she is planning to run again and was “pleased” with the strong fundraising she reported last week.
Collins’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The person declined to say who Trump might like to see run if Collins retires when her fifth term ends.
Collins — chair of the historically powerful Appropriations Committee — is one of a handful of lawmakers Democrats hope to knock out to retake the majority. Flipping Maine, which then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried in 2024, would be much easier for Democrats if Collins decided not to run.
Collins, a moderate Republican, has faced an uphill battle in the Senate this month, with GOP leaders pushing through Trump’s megabill, while snubbing some of her safety-net cutback concerns. In addition this week, Republicans are pushing through a Trump clawback effort of $9 billion in spending Collins helped approve.
1000% in agreement! https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/senate-republicans-sabotage-400-million-of-trumps-antiwoke-cuts
Term/Age limits PLEASE!!!!
I heard Collins opposed the bill, along with Murkowski and McConnell, so don’t understand this article saying she supported it.
Senate Republicans passed President Donald Trump’s $9 billion clawback package, which targeted previously approved spending for foreign aid and public broadcasting, despite opposition from Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The bill passed the Senate on July 17, 2025, with a 51-48 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
Collins, along with Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined all Democrats in voting against the package, citing concerns over the lack of detailed information from the White House about specific program cuts and the potential impact on programs like PEPFAR (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and public broadcasting.
Collins had previously helped approve some of the funding targeted by the clawback, and her opposition was also rooted in her belief that the process undermined Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending.
The package, which was amended to remove $400 million in cuts to PEPFAR, still required House approval by July 18, 2025, to be enacted.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/08/senate-gop-trump-clawbacks-request-00443248
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-who-voted-against-trumps-9-billion-clawback-foreign-aid-npr-funding
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/us/politics/senate-vote-trump-bill-pbs-npr-foreign-aid.html
-GROK