Collins pressed on Trump loyalty and her own record

Collins pressed – Sen. Susan Collins faced sharp questions on Fox News’ “The Story” about her voting alignment with President Trump, her decision not to support Kavanaugh at the time, and whether her support for Israel could shift as her general election race tightens against G

On Monday, Sen. Susan Collins sat down with Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum for her first national interview since Graham Platner officially became her general election opponent—and the conversation moved quickly from attacks on Platner’s past to questions about Collins’s own record.

The interview began with Collins weighing in on Platner, starting with a reference to his Nazi-tattoo scandal as MacCallum prompted her to address him first. Collins said she would characterize her own leadership as “steady,” while the discussion gradually turned toward the issues driving the race.

MacCallum reminded Collins that Collins has voted with President Trump about 94% of the time. then contrasted that with the behavior of many Republicans. “Might sound high. but most people in your party have been with him 100% of the time. ” MacCallum said. adding that Trump has pointed the finger at Collins “several times over different issues.”.

The question that followed cut to one of Collins’s most scrutinized moments: her earlier vote on Justice Brett Kavanaugh. MacCallum asked whether that past decision was “troublesome” for Collins now that Roe v. Wade was overturned in Maine and across the country.

Collins pushed back while acknowledging the stakes of what happened. She said she “disagreed with the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision overturning Roe v. Wade,” but argued the outcome was not dependent on whether Kavanaugh was confirmed. “Whether Justice Kavanaugh were confirmed or not, Roe v. Wade would have been overturned, given the 6-to-3 vote,” she said.

Collins then described the senators who voted to sustain Roe v. Wade and said she backed efforts to codify it. She added that she “supported the justices like Elena Kagan. Sonia Sotomayor. and Justice Brown Jackson. who voted to sustain Roe v. Wade.” She also said she “joined with a bipartisan group of senators to codify Roe v. Wade and make it the law of the land. ” and noted that “the then-leader of the Senate. Chuck Schumer. refused to bring up our bill.”.

As the interview shifted again, MacCallum moved from Collins’s votes to her promises. She pointed to Collins’s 1996 statement that she would only run for two terms, then asked why Collins is running again—and whether that “broke a promise that you once made.”

Collins conceded that she did say she would only run for two terms. Her explanation was rooted in what she has learned about the Senate’s power structure. saying she “underestimated how much seniority. experience. and knowledge matters in the Senate.” She said that when she weighs what she could do as a freshman senator against what she can do as chair of the Appropriations Committee. “there’s a huge difference.” She added a historical note: “it had been 92 years since a Maine senator had held the position of chair of the Appropriations Committee.”.

The final topic returned to the political pressure shaping the campaign. MacCallum said Israel is becoming a “hot button” in Collins’s race. which she described as close. with “most of the polls” showing Platner up by about four. She pointed out the margin mirrors the one Collins faced in her last election, when Collins ultimately won. Then MacCallum asked how Collins responds to polling showing AIPAC may be affecting voter behavior.

MacCallum asked Collins what she says to voters who might be less inclined to support her if an AIPAC endorsement is involved. citing that “44% say it would make them less likely to vote for the candidate.” She also pressed on whether Collins is changing her position on Israel in response to the moment.

Collins said her support is not moving. “No way. ” she replied. insisting. “I remain a very strong supporter of Israel. the one democracy in the Middle East. our true ally in the Middle East.” She linked her opponent’s approach to a broader issue she said is rising in the country. saying the situation “sadly reflects rising anti-Semitism in our country. ” and that Platner is part of that pattern “since his high school days.”.

Collins accused Platner of making inflammatory claims about Israel. She said he “accuses Israel of committing genocide. ” “praises Hamas for its tactics in killing Israeli soldiers. ” and that such behavior is “appalling.” She also addressed the role of AIPAC directly. saying it is “made up of Americans who care deeply about our relationship with Israel.” In her view. Platner is portraying AIPAC as something sinister: “Plattner makes it sound like this is some sort of evil foreign influence. and that is absolutely wrong.”.

The exchange underscored how quickly Collins’s campaign is being forced to defend not just policy positions, but the narrative she and her opponent are trying to establish about loyalty, judgment, and who is shaping the politics around Israel and the future of reproductive rights.

Susan Collins Martha MacCallum Graham Platner Trump loyalty Kavanaugh Roe v. Wade Chuck Schumer Appropriations Committee Israel AIPAC anti-Semitism