Dear Editor:

In 1996, Susan Collins promised that if she was elected, she would only run for just two terms. She also promised to work on legislation to repair the disconnect between Social Security and Maine’s retirement program. I believe that I voted for her that year.

Twenty-two years later, Susan is still our Senator and Maine’s retired state workers still cannot receive Social Security survivor benefits. Because of this, we have teachers, and other state employees routinely working into their 70s, if their spouses have died before them.

Susan voted with her GOP Senate members to give the top 1% a $1.5 trillion tax break. Meanwhile in Maine, and across the nation, working Americans had to increase our tax contributions to cover the reduced tax contributions, and the increased government spending will be a burden left for our grandchildren to pay.

Many Mainers may have believed that Susan represented an independent “Woman’s Vote” in the Senate, but her actual voting record and especially her waffling and voting for Kavanaugh’s confirmation likely lost much of this support base. “Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is now the second most unpopular senator in the United States,” according to a report released in July. A Congressional Quarterly (CQ) study found that, “Over the course of 266 votes, Collins voted with Trump 93.3% of the time.”

Susan is campaigning using dark money from special interest groups to get her marketing messages out. She had over $6.5 million raised for her campaign, reported in July, with 95% of that coming from out of state supporters. Her vote for Judge Kavanaugh and supporting the Trump tax-cut policy for the top 1% is paying well. (Susan has voted to increase health care premiums and drug costs while taking money from the pharmaceutical industry.)

There is reason to be hopeful. Next year we have a chance to get rid of Susan, with a couple of very good, Maine-grown options. Sarah Gideon, from Freeport and Betsy Sweet, of Hallowell, are very intelligent, articulate, people, who have raised families in Maine. They support thoughtful progressive policies for the best interest of Mainers. Don’t worry, be happy.

Michael J. Mayhew

Boothbay Harbor