It’s summertime and the living is easy. However, for Sen. Susan Collins, it has not been easy controlling her PR message. One reason may be that more Mainers are paying attention to the political conversation, and many voters are simply not interested in giving the senator the automatic deference that she enjoyed in her early career. The stakes have gotten too high.
Another reason Sen. Collins has lost her footing is that her attempts at masking inevitable party votes have been defanged. She is appalled. She is concerned. She is troubled. All the while she prepares a party vote to retain her 87% support of President Donald Trump. Maine voters have become immune to her faux moderate schtick.
Lastly, the main reason Sen. Collins has lost the control of her brand is social media. Politically active Maine voters are reaching out to their neighbors on both sides on various channels. Up for discussion is the dichotomy of what Collins says versus how she votes. She is no longer being given the benefit of the doubt.
It’s time for automatic deference to Collins to end. It’s time for a change.
Terry Dubois
Milford
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