The second-term Democrat was the first openly gay woman elected to Congress. Now she is leading the effort to rally Republican support for legislation that would protect marriage equality nationwide.
Tag Archives: Collins, Susan M
Lawmakers Urge Electoral Count Changes to Fix Flaws Trump Exploited
Lawmakers in both parties are eager to act after former President Donald J. Trump and his allies sought to exploit a 135-year-old law to overturn the 2020 election.
Same-Sex Marriage Bill, Considered Dead on Arrival, Gains New Life
The larger-than-expected G.O.P. vote in the House in support of legislation to codify marriage equality caught both parties off guard, suggesting there could be a narrow path to enactment.
Bipartisan Senate Group Strikes Deal to Rewrite Electoral Count Act
The changes outlined by the senators are intended to prevent a repeat of the effort on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the presidential election in Congress.
House Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Amid Fears of Court Reversal
The legislation would recognize same-sex marriages at the federal level and repeal a defunct law that defined marriage as between a man and woman. It faces an uphill battle in the Senate.
After Dobbs: What Can Be Done?
Readers suggest compromise legislation, offshore abortion clinics, expanding the Supreme Court and more. Also: Justices Thomas and Kavanaugh; Mike Pence; bathing suits.
Kavanaugh Gave Private Assurances on Roe v. Wade. Collins Says He ‘Misled’ Her.
“Roe is 45 years old, it has been reaffirmed many times, lots of people care about it a great deal,” the justice told the senator, according to notes from a private meeting before his confirmation.
Gun Bill’s Progress Reflects Political Shift, but G.O.P. Support Is Fragile
Only two of the 14 Republicans who broke ranks to support taking up gun legislation are facing voters this year, showing how difficult such deals could be in the future.
Harris Emerges as the Voice of Abortion Rights in the Biden Administration
The threat to Roe v. Wade presents Vice President Kamala Harris with an opportunity to recover from early political stumbles.
Here’s How Democrats in Congress Are Trying to Protect Abortion Rights
Under legislation that is all but certain to fail on a test vote this week, abortion rights would be protected and a wide array of limits and bans would be barred.
Democrats Plan a Bid to Codify Roe, but Lack the Votes to Succeed
In announcing a Wednesday vote on doomed legislation to enshrine abortion rights into federal law, the top Senate Democrat teed up a political fight for the midterm campaign.
Trump Still Has the Republican Party in His Grasp
He rages. McConnell trembles. We all lose.
To Help Children, Democrats are Going to Have to Reach Across the Aisle
A bipartisan Child Tax Credit expansion may actually be within reach.
Jackson Vote Poses a Political Dilemma for Murkowski
The Alaska Republican is facing a difficult re-election race in which she is under attack by former President Donald J. Trump and the right. Could a vote for President Biden’s nominee save her?
Graham, Once a Backer of Jackson, Says He Will Oppose Her Confirmation
Senator Lindsey Graham voted last year to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to an influential appeals court. He now calls her an “activist judge” who should not ascend to the Supreme Court.
Collins to Back Jackson for Supreme Court, Giving Her a G.O.P. Vote
Senator Susan Collins, a centrist from Maine, said a second meeting with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson alleviated her concerns. It is unclear if other Republicans will join her.
Biden Made a Historic Supreme Court Pick. What Will Senators Do?
Nominating the first Black woman is both bold and politically savvy, Democrats told us. Republicans are divided over how much of a fight to put up.
Which Republicans Could Back Biden’s Nominee?
All but three Republicans in the Senate opposed Judge Jackson’s nomination to a prominent appeals court.
Will Trump’s Election Lies Become a Litmus Test for Republicans?
Upcoming primaries will test whether embracing Donald J. Trump’s election falsehoods is a litmus test for Republican voters.
Jeff Zucker Didn’t Save Democracy
But some unheroic realism from Republicans just might.
Are New Voting Bill Talks for Real or for Show?
Senators involved in the negotiations underway say the discussions are serious and substantive, but some Democrats remain wary.
Jan. 6 Assault Still Casts Pall Over Capitol and Its Occupants
The attempt by a violent mob to interfere with a basic democratic task has left a stain on the institution and a strain on relationships.
Biden Signs Bill to Compensate ‘Havana Syndrome’ Victims
The bill leaves it up to the heads of the C.I.A. and State Department to make their own determinations as to who is covered and how much compensation they receive.
Collins and Menendez: We Need a Covid-19 Commission
We need a commission to study America’s Covid-19 response.
Republicans Promise Counteroffer as Infrastructure Talks Falter
President Biden and Democrats are facing difficult decisions about how to move their infrastructure plan through Congress as bipartisan momentum flags.
Senate Passes Bill to Target Anti-Asian Hate Crimes
The bipartisan vote amounts to the first legislative action either chamber of Congress has taken to bolster law enforcement’s response to rising attacks on the Asian-American community.
Democrats, Pushing Stimulus, Admit to Regrets on Obama’s 2009 Response
In pitching President Biden’s relief package, Democrats have said their 2009 stimulus efforts under Barack Obama were insufficient. Those close to Mr. Obama have noticed.
Tanden’s Confirmation on Shaky Ground as More Senators Voice Opposition
Two Republican senators said they would not vote to confirm President Biden’s nominee to head the budget office, further dimming her chances to secure enough support in an evenly divided chamber.
Biden Works to Leverage Senate Ties to Power His Agenda
The president has made clear in his first weeks in office that he plans to try to capitalize on his experience and relationships on Capitol Hill to get things done, though deep divisions remain.
Why Seven Republican Senators Voted to Convict Trump
The Republicans who broke with their party to find Donald J. Trump guilty were an eclectic group, bound by their shared lack of concern about retribution from the former president or his followers.
Here are the seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump.
The vote was the most bipartisan for a presidential impeachment conviction in United States history.
Democrats Should Act Like They Won the Election
What was the point of putting together a majority in the Senate if they weren’t going to wield it?
If It’s Still Trump Party, Many Republicans Like Me Will Leave
I need to believe that if I stick with the G.O.P., I will have a fighting chance at changing its direction.
The Georgia Senate Wins Have Given Democrats a Chance
With Raphael Warnock winning and Jon Ossoff leading, the political world has been remade.
A Dinner, a Deal and Moonshine: How the Stimulus Came Together
Top party leaders cinched a $900 billion relief deal after laying down their swords. But it took an empowered, bipartisan group of moderates to help bridge the divide.
Coronavirus Stimulus Bolsters Biden, Shows Potential Path for Agenda
Working together with the president-elect, bipartisan groups in the Senate and House helped push feuding leaders to compromise. It could be a template for the future.
Coronavirus Stimulus Boosts Biden, Shows Potential Path for Agenda
Working together with the president-elect urging them on from the sidelines, bipartisan groups in the Senate and House helped push feuding leaders to compromise. It could be a template for the future.
Pandemic Aid Boosts Biden and Shows a Potential Path for His Agenda in Congress
Working together with the president-elect urging them on from the sidelines, bipartisan groups in the Senate and House helped push feuding leaders to compromise. It could be a template for the future.
Republicans Find Themselves Speechless Following a Supreme Court Defeat
A ruling against President Trump appears to leave no avenue forward for the president, forcing Republicans to “play the hand we’re dealt.”
Top Democrats Back Compromise Plan to Revive Stimulus Talks
The Democratic leaders in Congress endorsed a $908 billion plan put forth by moderates in both parties, offering a significant concession in efforts to jump-start negotiations.
Empowered by an Odds-Defying Win, Susan Collins is Ready to Deal
The senator from Maine has emerged from the toughest re-election battle of her career more influential than ever, and ready to play a crucial deal-making role in a divided Senate.
The Democrats Went All Out Against Susan Collins. Rural Maine Grimaced.
The $180 million Senate contest, a political scientist said, “was like being a local in Woodstock in 1969: When it first started, it was exciting and fun, but by the end, it was muddy and dirty.”
Why Polling on The 2020 Presidential Election Missed the Mark
As politics becomes a high-stakes spectator sport, pollsters are reviewing their latest failures. But is part of the problem the public’s overly high expectations of precision?
Hell Hath No Fury Like a Trump Scorned
The victory of the Biden-Harris ticket and the enduring power of Republicanism tell two stories.
Susan Collins Was Never Going to Lose
In an election year when all politics seems national, Maine stays local.
Republicans Tighten Hold on Senate, but Control Could Be Decided in Runoffs
Along with falling short of expectations in the Senate, Democrats also saw their House majority shrink as Republicans made crucial pickups.
Voting System in Maine Threatens Collins in Final Days of Close Senate Race
The state’s new ranked-choice system could prove dangerous for Senator Susan Collins, who is running for a fifth term against Sara Gideon, a Democrat.
Trump Has a Women Problem. Susan Collins, Martha McSally and Kelly Loeffler Aren’t Helping.
To be in today’s Republican Party requires a particularly gross form of self-abasement.
Susan Collins Hasn’t Changed Much, but Maine Has
Democrats are angry with her. Republicans see her as disloyal to the president. Her old-fashioned politics? “I don’t know if people respond as well to that anymore,” said her G.O.P. predecessor in the Senate.