Vice President Vance traveled to Maine on Thursday to rally support for Senator Susan Collins, a Republican seeking a sixth term, but he didn't shy away from acknowledging tensions with the veteran lawmaker. Speaking to a crowd in Bangor, Vance said he sometimes grows frustrated with Collins's willingness to break with party lines.
"Sometimes I get frustrated with Susan Collins," Vance told the audience, adding that he almost wishes she were more partisan. However, he quickly pivoted to praise her independence, arguing it makes her a good fit for Maine's electorate. "The thing I love about Susan is she is independent, because Maine is an independent state. And, frankly, if she was as partisan as I sometimes wish that she was, she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine," he said.
Collins was absent from the event, remaining in Washington, D.C. Vance described her as his "friend and former Senate colleague" and explained her absence as a scheduling conflict. The vice president's visit was framed around the Trump administration's anti-fraud initiatives, a theme he has been pushing in recent speeches. He chairs a White House task force targeting fraud in federal programs, and his appearance in Maine was part of a broader effort to promote the administration's economic record.
Collins's record of occasionally bucking President Trump is well-documented. She was one of seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, for which he was later acquitted. Despite that, Roll Call data shows she has voted in line with Trump's agenda roughly 95 percent of the time.
More recently, Collins broke with most of her GOP colleagues on a war powers resolution aimed at limiting Trump's military action against Iran. She was one of only two Republicans—alongside Rand Paul of Kentucky—to vote for the measure, arguing that Congress must authorize continued hostilities. "Further military action against Iran must have a clear mission, achievable goals, and a defined strategy for bringing the conflict to a close," Collins said in a statement. She reiterated that stance in a subsequent vote on Wednesday, joining Paul and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, though the effort again failed.
Collins's independent streak has become a central theme in her reelection campaign, which pits her against Democratic nominee Graham Platner. Platner emerged as the frontrunner after Maine Governor Janet Mills ended her Senate bid last month, though former USAID worker David Costello remains in the race. Platner has criticized Collins for avoiding tough questions on Iran during a recent hearing with Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth.
The race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country, with Collins's moderate reputation both an asset and a liability. Vance's visit underscores the high stakes, as Republicans seek to hold the seat in a state that has trended Democratic in recent presidential elections. The vice president's remarks, while supportive, also highlighted the delicate balancing act Collins must maintain between party loyalty and the independent brand that has sustained her in Maine.
