Dear Editor:

As a business owner in Maine, I want to express my strong support for Senator Susan Collins in the upcoming election. I am increasingly concerned that backlash from the current political landscape could result in what should, otherwise be a strong race for Senator Collins into a much more difficult contest in November.

Senator Collins has served Maine for decades, and during that time she has consistently worked to bring federal resources and opportunities back to our state. Her seniority and experience in Washington, and particularly her position as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, give Maine an important voice and critical influence when decisions are made regarding federal funding and priorities. The Appropriations Committee plays a central role in determining discretionary federal spending, making this position particularly consequential for a state the size of Maine.

That influence has produced significant, tangible results for Maine, which cannot be delivered by an inexperienced US Senate replacement. Her work has supported BIW, the UMaine, transportation/infrastructure projects, and hundreds of other initiatives throughout all 16 Maine counties including the Boothbay region. According to Senator Collins’ office, she has helped secure nearly $1.5 billion in Congressionally Directed Spending for 672 projects since 2021. I believe Maine voters need to look carefully at what Senator Collins’ position in the Senate means for our state and what will be lost if she is no longer representing Maine in Washington.

It is also significant that Senator Collins is the only republican in either the House of Representatives or the Senate from New England which results in an unhealthy partisan position, regardless of your party affiliation. Replacing her with a first-term Senator would represent a substantial loss of seniority, institutional knowledge, leadership, and demonstrated ability to secure federal resources, an outcome that we cannot afford. To say it frankly, there is no opponent who can fill Senator Collins shoes as our Senator from Maine. Her record, experience, and performance all speak for themselves; Maine needs her to stay in the Senate.

Timothy S. Hodgdon

Boothbay