The race to unseat Susan Collins is resetting around abortion

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The race to unseat Susan Collins is resetting around abortion
Democrats say Collins' actions undermine her stated support for reproductive rights — an argument they hope will resonate with the women voters who could decide the Maine Senate race.

By Shefali Luthra, Grace Panetta
Updated July 13, 2026, 3:05 p.m. ET


(The 19th) BANGOR, Maine — As Maine Democrats vie to replace Graham Platner in their state’s Senate race, abortion — a key weakness for Republican Sen. Susan Collins — is set to shape the next phase of the contest, which Democrats view as a prime pick-up opportunity.

Collins, whose home state voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, is considered one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents up for election this year. She has held onto power despite Maine’s blue tilt in large part by branding herself as an independent, and by highlighting her support for healthcare and abortion rights.

But Democrats have sought to challenge that narrative, pointing to Collins’ 2018 vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who four years later joined a 5-4 majority to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion rights case. Collins criticized the decision at the time, calling it “ill-considered,” but Democrats are making her vote a central issue.

“It’s rare in modern politics to be able to draw such a straight line between one vote and devastating health consequences,” Nirav Shah said while speaking to voters at a town hall event at a movie theater in Bangor on Sunday. “But in the case of Senator Collins, we have a case study in why every vote as a U.S. senator matters.” ..................(more)

https://19thnews.org/2026/07/maine-senate-race-resets-susan-collins-abortion