ME Sen I can't really be Collins it yet

[SenatorCouzens]

I watched the debate (though not a Maine resident and have no insights into this race). I was surprised how green Gideon seemed, a bit of a vibe like she was participant in a mock debate and was just playing a candidate on TV.

I don't think it will affect the race one iota and it's kind of a weird question, but I think it's reasonable for a candidate to know whether or not they would support the confirmation of the current chief justice, who has been making rulings in every blockbuster case for the past 15 years.

Collins was more prepared and had more gravitas than Gideon, in my opinion. I think this race is tilt Gideon, but still up in the air and impossible to say... there are more moving parts and uncertainty in this race than most others.

Thanks for your thoughts, GoldenMainer, and for watching the debate with your independent parents and giving us their thoughts!

[SenatorCouzens]

Obviously no one in Maine cares what Lieberman, Baker, or Hogan as individuals think. But it's a warm and fuzzy add by well-spoken and polite moderate governors talking about how great Susan Collins is. It seems pretty straight forward and obvious to me, and it's not a bad add. No one is dumb enough to think their names are changing votes, but the add is trying to bolster Collins image as a smart, moderate, hardworking senator.

[SenatorCouzens]

Is the fact that Collins would become head of the appropriations committee getting any play in this race? It seems like that could garner her support in a state with "parochial conerns."


Given the lack of polls in this state and the localism that prevails in Maine elections, I would love to know what people in the state think.

So much of the online discussion is drowned out by people who immediately mock Collins for being "concerned" and about Senate whip counts, but these people often have nothing to do with Maine.

[SenatorCouzens]

Is the fact that Collins would become head of the appropriations committee getting any play in this race? It seems like that could garner her support in a state with "parochial conerns."


Given the lack of polls in this state and the localism that prevails in Maine elections, I would love to know what people in the state think.

So much of the online discussion is drowned out by people who immediately mock Collins for being "concerned" and about Senate whip counts, but these people often have nothing to do with Maine.

Localism will certainly help Collins but I doubt there are many genuinely persuadable voters who are also politically informed enough to consider Senate committee chairs in determining their vote. It would be one thing if she was already chair and using it to directly benefit Maine (McConnell's pork barrelling is a good example here), but otherwise, I really doubt it has much sway. The same applies to Alaska where Al Gross and Dan Sullivan invoked Roger Wicker and Maria Cantrell respectively - neither line of attack seemed to make much of an obvious mark in the public domain and I doubt most voters even know who these people are.

Fair enough! I was thinking more of a 30 second ad touting this chairmanship in a way that simultaneously makes it seem more powerful and a benefit to Maine than it is, while also not being gratuitous. I quite agree that precious few voters in Maine are doing their independent research about it.

[SenatorCouzens]

This is why you listen to people who actually live in the state instead of just blindly following polling. Hopefully next time we actually have a primary where one candidate isn't chosen for us.

On the plus side, I'm very glad to see Jared Golden hold his seat considering the poor performance of some Dem representatives.

Are you the one who watched the debate with your parents and let us know their reaction? At some point in this thread I complimented you! A breath of fresh air compared to the always-on-twitter anti-Collins contingent who think their cringey memes and lines about Collins oh-so-perfectly capture her career. Delusional.

I just watched several of the attack ads about her and many of them made her look good. She was shown to be constantly talking about process and moderation and the ads' punch-line about her being some right-winger or partisan stooge was always extremely underwhelming.