缅因州波特兰——共和党参议员苏珊·柯林斯于周二宣布参选连任，尽管民主党加大力度试图在可能决定美国参议院控制权的竞选中将她赶下台，但她仍坚信自己能保住缅因州这一备受瞩目的席位。
此次竞选将考验柯林斯的政治生存能力。现年73岁的她五次当选参议员，一直将自己塑造为缅因州独立精神的代表，时而与唐纳德·特朗普总统产生分歧，但总体上仍支持其政策议程。
如今，柯林斯在寻求第六个任期时，面临着因移民执法策略而引发的民愤，这可能成为全国共和党候选人的政治包袱。缅因州最近的一次行动导致数百人被捕，但也引发批评，认为即便没有犯罪记录的人也被一网打尽。
柯林斯在与国土安全部部长克里斯蒂·诺姆直接对话后，成功阻止了联邦特工在缅因州的大规模涌入，并因此受到赞誉。
然而，民主党指责柯林斯做得不够，指出她拒绝呼吁罢免诺姆，并投票支持了一项两党合作的国土安全部拨款法案。民主党需要赢得四个席位才能重新夺回参议院多数席位，他们正瞄准缅因州、北卡罗来纳州、阿拉斯加州和俄亥俄州。
缅因州州长珍妮特·米尔斯和牡蛎养殖户格雷厄姆·普拉特纳是柯林斯的主要民主党挑战者。尽管许多建制派民主党人和有影响力的左翼团体支持米尔斯，但普拉特纳凭借其反建制形象和经济平等主张赢得了不少支持。他积极竞选，尽管被曝出社交媒体帖子存在问题，且不得不遮盖一个类似纳粹标志的纹身。
今年1月，在共和党人投票支持为国土安全部和其他几个机构提供资金后不久，米尔斯便指责柯林斯“毫无勇气”地执政。普拉特纳则要求解散该机构，并表示不相信柯林斯或特朗普政府会离开缅因州。
根据最新的联邦申报文件，普拉特纳最近在竞选筹款方面超过了米尔斯和柯林斯。这位首次参选的候选人筹集了近460万美元，而米尔斯筹集了270万美元。柯林斯在申报期间尚未正式启动竞选活动，截至2025年底，她手头有超过800万美元现金。
柯林斯曾表示自己在2016年没有投票给特朗普，并在2021年特朗普因1月6日国会山骚乱事件被弹劾后，投票判定其有罪。在柯林斯与少数共和党同事一起支持一项未能成功的努力，试图限制总统在委内瑞拉单方面使用武力的能力后，特朗普在社交媒体上表示，他们“永远不应再当选公职”。
但柯林斯也广泛支持特朗普的政策议程，包括其税收和支出法案及其提名人选。
值得注意的是，柯林斯投票确认了罗伯特·F·肯尼迪 Jr.为特朗普提名的卫生与公众服务部部长。肯尼迪此后宣扬反疫苗政策，并解雇了疾病控制与预防中心的公共卫生官员。
柯林斯此前也曾面临严峻挑战。2020年，民主党人萨拉·吉迪恩筹集了6900万美元，在总统大选年试图帮助民主党夺回参议院席位(当时民主党赢得了总统大选)，其支出超过了柯林斯。但柯林斯仍以超过8个百分点的优势击败了吉迪恩。
尽管缅因州日益倾向民主党，但柯林斯仍坚守岗位。自她上次竞选连任以来，注册民主党人的比例有所增加。2019年，“未登记”的独立选民数量超过民主党人，但到2026年，这一情况已发生逆转。共和党人多年来一直落后于这两个群体。
Susan Collins announces reelection bid in pivotal Maine Senate race
PORTLAND, Maine --RepublicanSen. Susan Collinsannounced her reelection bid Tuesday, betting that she can hold onto her coveted Maine seat despite a renewed Democratic effort to oust her in a race that could determine control of the U.S. Senate.
The campaign will test Collins' political survival skills. The 73-year-old has won five terms by casting herself as a reflection of Maine's independent spirit, occasionally clashing with President Donald Trump while also largely supporting his agenda.
As she now seeks a sixth term, Collins faces outrage overimmigration enforcement tacticsthat could become a political liability for Republican candidates across the country. A recent operation in Maine led to hundreds of arrests but also criticism that people were being rounded up even if they didn't have criminal records.
Collins hastaken credit for stoppingthe surge of federal agents in Maine after she spoke directly with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
However, Democrats accused Collins of not going far enough, pointing to her refusal to call for Noem's ouster and her vote in favor of a bipartisan Homeland Security funding bill. The party needs to net four seats to retake the Senate majority, and they are aiming to do that in Maine, North Carolina, Alaska and Ohio.
Gov. Janet Millsandoyster farmer Graham Platnerare among Collins' top Democratic challengers. While many establishment Democrats and influential left-leaning groups have backed Mills, Platner has gained traction with his anti-establishment image and economic equality message. He's campaigned aggressively while facing revelations of problematic social media posts and having to cover up a tattoo resembling aNazi symbol.
Mills has accused Collins of governing “without any courage” shortly after the Republican voted infavor of fundingtheDHS and several other agenciesin January. Platner has demanded that the agency be dismantled and said he did not believe Collins or the Trump administration's promise to leave Maine.
Platner recently outraised both Mills and Collins in campaign fundraising, according to the latest federal filings. The first-time candidate collected nearly $4.6 million, while Mills raised $2.7 million. Collins, who had not yet officially launched her campaign during the filing period, had more than $8 million in cash on hand at the end of 2025.
Collins, who has said she didn’t vote for Trump in 2016,voted to convict Trumpafter his 2021 impeachment over his role inthe Jan. 6 Capitol riot. After Collins joined a handful of Republican colleagues in backing a failed effort to limit the president's ability to unilaterally use force in Venezuela, Trump said on social media that they “should never be elected to office again.”
But Collins has also broadly backed Trump's agenda, including his tax and spending bill, and his nominees.
Notably, Collins voted to confirmRobert F. Kennedy Jr.as Trump’s choice to be secretary of Health and Human Services. Kennedy has sinceespoused anti-vaccine policyandousted public health officialsat the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She has faced down tough challenges before. Democrat Sara Gideon raised $69 million in 2020, outspending Collins in a bid to help take back the Senate during a presidential election year when the Democrats won the top of the ticket. Collinsdefeated Gideonby more than 8 points.
Collins has remained in office despite Maine becoming increasingly blue. The proportion of registered Democrats has increased since her last reelection campaign, when “unenrolled” independent voters outnumbered Democrats in 2019 but now trail them in 2026. Republicans have trailed both groups for years.
