Maine GOP rejects motion to censure Collins

The Maine Republican Party on Saturday voted against censuring Sen. Susan Collins (R) for her vote to impeach former President Trump.

The vote to censure Collins failed 19-41. Collins was one of seven Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

“Today’s decision is a testament to the Republican Party’s ‘big tent’ philosophy that respects different views but unites around core principles,” Collins said about the vote. 

“Our party has been most successful when it has embraced this approach to advance our shared goals of providing tax relief to families and small business job creators, pursuing fiscal responsibility and government accountability, promoting personal responsibility, protecting constitutional rights, and ensuring a strong national defense,” Collins added. 

Other senators who voted for Trump’s impeachment did not face the same treatment from their party at home.

Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey (R) was censured by a county in his home state for his impeachment vote.

Although Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) did not receive a formal censure from the Nebraska Republican Party, they did officially rebuke him for his vote. 

Collins is the only Republican senator in New England and overwhelmingly won her reelection bid in November to become a fifth-term senator.