Senator Susan Collins has been elected into office for her fifth time. Her win comes from Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon conceded the race. Around 1:30 p.m (EST), Nov 4, 2020, the news broke about Collins win.
Collins was one of four candidates on the ballot for Maine voters. In Maine, they vote with a system they call rank-choice voting. This means that Mainers have to rank their choices from the first choice to last.
Sen. Collins managed to win the majority of Maine’s first choice, making all additional ranked-choice votes unnecessary. Gideon announced that she conceded to her supporters. She further added that she called and congratulated Collins on her win.
Collins has long inserted herself as a bipartisan centrist who has been willing to work with both parties to solve the Nation’s issues. However, her opponents constantly accused her of being a facilitator of President Donald Trump.
Gideon conceded the race before Maine’s rank-choice voting needed to be invoked. If she had chosen to wait for rank-choice to be invoked; she could have had her vote added to the total of Maine’s second-choice votes.
During her speech to constituents in Bangor, Collins announced that she is “the first person since Maine directly elected its senators to win a fifth term.” During the 2020 Senate election, there was at least $100,000 spent on campaigns.
Collins took the stage outside of the Hilton Garden Inn as Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” blared across the loudspeakers. According to the Press Herald, Collins later told journalists that people are tired of polarization and they want to see Congress actually work together.
She is also part of the Small Business Task Force with Senators Jim Rich (R-ID), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Marco Rubio (R-FL). Together the colleagues introduced the Small Business Access to Recovery Capital Act, to expand relief measures under the SBA’s 7(a) loan program. This would be in addition to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Collins co-authored.
Collins also co-authored a second PPP forgivable loan under separate legislation.
As the co-author of the Paycheck Protection Program, I have worked to help small businesses stay afloat and continue paying their employees. This bill would complement the PPP by providing expanded relief under SBA’s 7(a) loan program to help small businesses weather this public health and economic crisis.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Susan Collins: Collins, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Expand Relief Measures under SBA’s 7(a)
Loan Program
Press Herald: Susan Collins wins 5th Senate term as Sara Gideon concedes by Kevin Miller
Spectrum News: Senate Latest: GOP Sen. Collins wins reelection in Maine by Associated Press
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