Activists pledge over $360K to Collins’s future opponent if she votes for Kavanaugh

Activists have pledged more than $360,000 to Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-Maine) future Democratic opponent should the Maine Republican vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

A fundraiser through the political crowdfunding site Crowdpac attracted donations from more than 13,000 people by the second day of Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. The page, set up by progressive activist Ady Barkan, lists a goal of $500,000.

“The people of Maine have made it clear that they want you to vote NO on Kavanaugh, and we’re counting on you to do the right thing,” the fundraising site reads. “You have the chance to stand up for the people of Maine — and for the entire country — by rejecting this Supreme Court nominee.”

{mosads}Collins is not up for reelection this cycle, but if she votes for Kavanaugh, Barkan said he will donate the money to whoever runs against her in 2020. 

Collins, who is considered a swing vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination, met with the nominee last month and said he assured her that he believes Roe v. Wade is “settled law.” The fate of the landmark ruling legalizing abortion has been at the center of debate around Kavanaugh’s nomination.

Democrats and liberal groups have dismissed Kavanaugh’s comments to Collins and continued to raise concerns that he would vote to overturn the ruling. 

Democrats have also voiced concerns about the judge’s stance on presidential pardons. Asked on Tuesday during his Senate confirmation hearing if President Trump could pardon himself, Kavanaugh said he had not examined self-pardons.

Barkan made national headlines earlier this year after confronting Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) on an airplane over Flake’s support for the GOP tax law.

Barkan, who has Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), pressed Flake on potential cuts to Medicare.