When Senator Susan Collins cast the deciding vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Mitch McConnell promised that she would be “well funded” when she sought reelection. Two years later, Collins is still reaping the rewards from ultra-conservative donors and extreme politicians who know that she’s the key to their plan to take over our courts for a generation.
You don’t have to take it from us –Senator Collins’ own Republican colleagues have hailed her as “the real hero” of the Kavanaugh confirmation because they know that her vote sealed his ascent to the Supreme Court — and their big money donors know it too. After voting to confirm Kavanaugh, Senator Collins had the best fundraising quarter of her career.
Earlier this year, donors with ties to the Federalist Society, a far-right legal group working to fill the judiciary with conservatives, have become the “biggest contributor” to Collins’ campaign. Federalist Society Co-Chairman Leonard Leo, who has been described as Trump’s “judge whisperer,” even held a fundraiser for her in Maine in 2019.
It’s no wonder that Collins says she doesn’t regret her vote for Kavanaugh “in the least” — it has helped her fill her campaign coffers. But while Collins has been rewarded handsomely, Mainers’ rights have been put at risk because of Kavanaugh’s confirmation. Already, he has proven that he won’t hesitate to rule against reproductive rights and equality for LGBTQ+ Americans — and Collins has only doubled down on her support for him.
“When Senator Collins cast that decisive vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, she proved that she answers to Mitch McConnell, not Maine,” said Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Lisa Roberts. “She failed her moment of conscience and traded in our trust for some new big money donors. Now Mainers have the chance to replace her with someone who works for us.”
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