Sen. Snowe not afraid to buck her party (Sen. Snowe CFR )

edition.cnn.com ^ | 09/03/09 | By Ed Hornick

[Americaneedsyoou]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe has shown throughout her career that when it comes to voting, it's her principles and constituents that guide her, not her party. Sen. Olympia Snowe has received overwhelming support from her constituents in past elections.

Those principles, analysts note, are guiding her to find a compromise on health care reform currently stalemated in Congress. Jennifer Duffy, who follows the Senate for the Cook Political Report, said Snowe's independent streak is "not new behavior for her." "I think they [Republicans] also realize that the only reason that the state of Maine has two Republican senators at all is the fact that they are very independent-minded and they vote their state," she said,

referring to Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins. In fact, some estimates place Snowe as having voted with her party only 57 percent of the time in the current Congress. While her moderate views are at odds with GOP opposition to several of President Obama's economic plans this year, the senator's constituents seem to agree with her. In 2006, she won re-election with 74 percent of the vote, compared to her Democratic opponent's 21 percent.

[Natural Law]

Can anyone actually look at her record and discern that her party is Republican?

[llevrok]

WHICH PARTY? D or R ?

[duckman]

Olympia Snowe=Attention Whore.

[Enterprise]

Snowe not afraid to buck her party. Well woo effing hoo.

[llevrok]

BTW, I am afraid to buck Sen. Snow, if you get my drift.

[RetroSexual]

If Steele & Co. had any balls, they’d ask her to leave the party (in a very public statement).

[bamahead]

To Michael Steele: Do you want big dollars start to flow into the RNC again? Publicly disavow this RINO NOW!

[MissesBush]

She’s not bucking her party. She’s f-—ing her country.

[jusduat]

Why can’t the Republicans set some sort of minimum level
of cooperation to remain in good standing? If the elect
can switch parties any ole time they please, why shouldn’t
they get kicked out?

[JohnQ1]

U.S. Grant: “No enemy is half so dangerous as an unreliable ally.” Shun Maine’s senators. Treat them as pariahs.

[y6162]

Her party, the Democrats, love her. Republicans, not so much.

[Venturer]

They certainly arent Republicans in anything but name and one wonders why they dont just switch.

They certainly have no affinity for the Republican party.

[Man50D]

WHICH PARTY? D or R ?

The Republicrat party.

[Cheerio]

She doesn't speak for the party I usually vote with.

[cranked]

There are some seriously deranged people in Maine keeping Snowe in her seat.

[DallasDeb]

the only reason that the state of Maine has two Republican senators at all is the fact that they are very independent-minded and they vote their state

From a practical standpoint, call her a DemocRAT. She cannot be depended upon by Republicans.

[SunkenCiv]

Pelosi: Public Option Best Way to Control Costs, Promote Competition
Reuters | Sep 3, 2009 | Office of the Speaker of the House
Posted on 09/03/2009 3:18:33 PM PDT by mdittmar
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2331571/posts

[PAR]

I just sent her a tactful and long email from her web site explaining in detail why the health care reform proposed by democrats is bad for the country and that if she is party to a “bipartisan” solution or votes for health care reform, I will contribute to her Republican challenger and if that doesn't work I will contribute to her democrat challenger in the general election.

Although it probably won't make much difference, I recommend everyone else do the same.

[timetostand]

And I thought Massachusetts had problems!! what is wrong with Maine???