ME-Pan Atlantic SMS: Collins leads by 43

[IceSpear]

This is actually great news for Michaud, since this poll also shows LePage doing much better than the other pollsters do. Every other poll besides this one has pegged Collins' lead at 25-30 points. Quite a substantial difference in favor of the Republicans.

[IceSpear]

Even then I think her seat may stay in Republican hands

With who, Senator LePage?! Resurrect Olympia Snowe's political career? It'll go to an independent before it stays Republican.

Susan Collins is to Maine as Joe Manchin is to West Virginia. When they're gone, so is the seat.

Senator Poliquin?

Even if Poliquin manages to win this year, he'll likely be gone after 2016.

[IceSpear]

Name one palatable to ME voters that exists outside Collins.

Peter Cianchette

Who as a pro-choice Republican vs. pro-life Democrat John Baldacci produced this hilarious result in the 2002 gubernatorial election:

I think those days are a thing of the past. Not necessarily pro-life Ds or pro-choice Rs, but when you could actually get a matchup for a major statewide election with that combo. These days, when the Republican is pro-choice, the Democrat almost certainly is as well (and vice versa).