Susan Collins Has Reached a Pinnacle of Authority. How Will She Use It?

Susan Collins has reached a pinnacle of authority. How will she use it?

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, arrives for a Republican luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on February 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)After a campaign promise to bring in outsized federal dollars for Maine, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins won reelection during Trump’s first term, overcoming a record amount of spending against her and defying public polls. At the start of the president’s second term, Collins r…

'Stop the foolishness': Susan Collins in the hot seat as she navigates Trump's second term

After a campaign promise to bring in outsized federal dollars for Maine, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins won reelection during Trump’s first term, overcoming a record amount of spending against her and defying public polls. At the start of the president’s second term, Collins rose to the helm of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the first time a Mainer has chaired one of the upper chamber’s most powerful committees in 92 years. However, Maine’s long…