Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) “ended more than two years of political speculation Friday and announced she would not run for governor in 2018, a decision that opens up the race for the Blaine House and keeps Collins’ moderate voice in the thick of national politics,” the Portland Press Herald reports.
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Will Collins Leave the Senate?
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) “will announce at a local Chamber of Commerce event on Friday whether she will run for governor — a decision that remains shrouded in secrecy and could upend the Senate political landscape,” Politico reports.
“The influential moderate plans to make the announcement during a speech she’s giving on health care in Rockport, Maine… The speech is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.”
Making the announcement at a preexisting and relatively small event would suggest she’s not launching a new campaign.
Collins Will Announce Plans on Running for Governor
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will announce Friday morning whether she will run for governor of Maine in 2018, CNN reports.
“Collins, among the most moderate GOP senators, has been a thorn in President Donald Trump’s side… But were she elected, her departure from the Senate would be a sharp blow to Republicans because without Collins, the seat would become much more difficult to keep out of Democratic hands in 2020.”
LePage Says Collins Would Lose a GOP Primary
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) told WGAN that Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) would probably lose a Republican primary in the state if she decides to run for governor.
Said LePage: “I will say this right away. I do firmly believe deep down in my heart that Susan Collins, in order to become the governor of the state of Maine, will have to run as an independent, and she’s highly unlikely to win a Republican primary.”
However, he added that if she did make it through a Republican primary and got to the general election, “she wins.”
Collins Could Face Fight If She Runs for Governor
“Collins has been named the most moderate U.S. senator and has irked conservatives before. If she stays in the Senate through her term’s end in early 2021, this may be little more than a flashpoint, since she regularly registers approval ratings above 65 percent here. But if she runs for governor in 2018, several active Republicans told the Bangor Daily News that they would expect a tough primary fight.”
Collins May Run for Maine Governor
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said she “was seriously contemplating a run for Maine governor in 2018, her most definitive statement yet on a topic that has long been the subject of political speculation,” the Portland Press Herald reports.
Said Collins: “I’m trying to figure out where I can do the most good. I’m being totally honest with you – I truly don’t know, I really don’t, it’s a hard decision.”
Why Is LePage Spending So Much Time In Washington?
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) “has been out of the state for most of the past two weeks and has spent much of that time in Washington, fueling speculation he might be in line for a position in the Trump administration,” the Portland Press Herald reports.
A LePage spokesman wouldn’t deny the rumors: “The president is pretty impressed with all the accomplishments the governor has made over the last six years that the Maine media have ignored.”
LePage Raises Possibility of Resigning
Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) “raised the possibility Tuesday that he may not finish his second term, amid mounting pressure from Democrats and members of his own party to amend for his recent actions,” the Portland Press Herald reports.
Said LePage: “I’m looking at all options. I think some things I’ve been asked to do are beyond my ability. I’m not going to say that I’m not going to finish it. I’m not saying that I am going to finish it.”