Susan Collins Runs for Re-election, in One of 2026's Top Senate Fights

Source: New York Times

Feb. 10, 2026, 9:09 a.m. ET


Senator Susan Collins, the Maine Republican whose brand of political centrism is on the verge of extinction in Washington, announced on Tuesday that she would seek a sixth term in what may be her most challenging and expensive re-election campaign yet.

Ms. Collins, 73, was widely expected to run again and has long been a prime target of Democrats in Maine and Washington. Her frequent statements of concern and regret that follow many of President Trump’s actions have been mocked by her opponents because she has been a reliable vote for the Republican agenda during Mr. Trump’s presidencies.

The Maine Senate seat is crucial to Democratic hopes of retaking control of the chamber in November’s midterm elections. The party must flip four Republican-held seats to win a majority, and Ms. Collins is widely viewed as the most endangered G.O.P. incumbent.

Ms. Collins announced her campaign on social media, with a video showing her opening a box and taking a pair of gray sneakers out of tissue paper. “This is perfect for 2026,” she says in the video, “because I’m running.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/10/us/politics/susan-collins-maine-senate-2026.html