Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was lauded last week after she cast her 10,000th consecutive vote in the Senate.
The milestone vote came on President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation package. The package provides $69.5 billion in funding for ICE through 2029. The measure passed in a 52-47 vote with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was the only Republican to vote against it.
The chamber erupted in applause as Collins hit the milestone, which drew praise from both sides of the aisle.
“No matter what has been going on in the world or in her life, Senator Collins has never, never missed a vote in her entire Senate career. This is truly a remarkable milestone,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. “Many of us try hard to make every vote. Senator Collins has actually done it.”
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Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called her accomplishment an “impressive demonstration of endurance and determination.”
“I salute you for it,” he said.
Collins, a moderate Republican, is the first senator in history to reach the threshold.
“Mainers are known for their work ethic, and they deserve a senator who works just as hard for them. Growing up in Aroostook County, I learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and honoring your commitments. I am proud to bring those values with me to the Senate every day,” Collins said.
“Representing the state of Maine is the honor of a lifetime, and I will continue to serve with the diligence and responsibility that Mainers deserve,” she added.
Maine is considered a must-win state for Democrats who want to flip the Senate.
In her tenure, Collins has defied conventional wisdom and political headwinds, winning four reelection campaigns with cross-over support in an increasingly polarized era.
Schumer’s praise of Collins comes as as her likely 2026 Democratic opponent Graham Platner’s campaign has been enveloped in controversy.
Platner has engaged in a pattern of “intimidating and disturbing” behavior toward multiple women and lied about not knowing the meaning of his Nazi tattoo, per a report from The New York Times citing former girlfriends.
Three of Platner’s ex-girlfriends claimed he demeaned women, became physically threatening, and was repeatedly unfaithful.
“Graham Platner is a chronic liar who is mentally disturbed, sympathetic to Nazis, and dangerous to women,” Ally Sammarco, a Democratic political consultant, said. “I’m disgusted to see members of my party make excuses for his behavior because it’s politically beneficial. He should be nowhere near our party and the U.S. Senate.
