Posted on 10/03/2017 4:43:21 PM PDT by markomalley
Senate Democrats beg Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) not to run for governor of Maine, a move that would rid the Senate of one of its most liberal Republicans.
When Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) heard that Sen. Collins might run for Maine governor in 2018, Heitkamp texted Collins, “Don’t do it.” Heitkamp added, “I desperately hope she doesn’t run.”
Collins’ departure would serve as another blow to moderates and centrists in the upper chamber of Congress. She was an infamous roadblock against repealing Obamacare this year; Collins’ vote against the “skinny” Obamacare repeal bill and opposition to the Graham-Cassidy block grant legislation tanked Obamacare repeal twice.
Collins’ opposition to Obamacare repeal drew the ire of Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who endorsed the Graham-Cassidy legislation. During the Graham-Cassidy debate, Gov. LePage called on Collins to “start paying attention to Maine people.”
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
If Collins stays, the democrats are sure to keep her seat. Is she leaves, there is a chance however slight for a republican to win.
Aways from the area of the coastal towns from Kittery to Freeport, Maine is mostly Republican. I think Maine citizens will support another governor like Paul LePage. They like him.
Out with the RINO
“When Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) heard that Sen. Collins might run for Maine governor in 2018, Heitkamp texted Collins, “Don’t do it.” Heitkamp added, “I desperately hope she doesn’t run.”
Why? Because after next year’s election, Heidi isn’t going to be there either.
Why? She will be replaced by a communist if she leaves.
Yes, I believe you are exactly right.
Collins and her twin Oly Snow can go straight to hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
I just wish she would take the marbles out of her mouth before she attempts to speak in public.
If she wins, either Collins herself of current Gov. LePage would appoint her successor, who would serve until a special election is held (which could come as late as Nov. 2020). Unless ME changes its law as AK did so that the governor has to wait a few days in order to fill a Senate vacancy, nothing would stop Gov. LePage from appointing the new Senator right after Collins resigns (and before she becomes governor). While I certainly trust LePage more than Collins to make a good appointment, I don’t think that states should allow lame ducks to make an appointment a few minutes before their terms end. For this reason, my preference would be that, should Collins win the governorship, she and Gov. LePage agree on the new senator (perhaps Congressman Poliquin, who is far more conservative than Collins, albeit not as conservative as LePage, and who probably would be our strongest candidate to hold the seat in 2020; he would be replaced in the House by the winner of a special election, who almost certainly will be a Republican (maybe LePage, if he wants it)), and have the Governor and Governor-elect announce it together.
I figured she could word her resignation to take effect contemporaneously with being sworn in as Governor, I thought that’s what Frank Murkowski did. I didn’t know (or more likely did and forgot) they changed the law to bar Knowles from replacing him.
Why not LePage as the Senate appointee? He doesn’t want to take on Holstein Queen but he might be interested in an open seat. Do you think Poliquin is that stronger a candidate?
She was always a Dim in RINO clothing.
I do think that Poliquin, as a two-year Senate incumbent (which would increase his name ID in the half of the state that he does not represent currently), would be a stronger GE candidate than would LePage, particularly in a presidential-election year. However, I believe that LePage would be a stronger candidate against Angus Burger Queen in 2018 than would Poliquin because (i) LePage has far higher name ID and (ii) the mid-term electorate shopuldn;t be as much of a problem for LePage as would the presidential-election electorate.
More importantly, I would be shocked if Susan Collins would agree to appoint Paul LePage to the U.S. Senate, and it would take a Collins appointment for LePage to replace Collins in the Senate. LePage would not be able to appoint himself to the Senate (or, to put it another way, it would be legally and constitutionally questionable if he did so, and the Senate might refuse to seat him), so LePage first would have to resign so that the President of the Senate becomes governor and appoints him, which would be risky, messy, and not conducive to helping our chances to holding the seat in 2020.
So my preference would be for LePage to run for the Senate in 2018, and for LePage and Collins to agree to appoint Poliquin to the Senate should Collins win the governorship.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.