Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine will not join Vice President JD Vance during his visit to her home state, citing scheduling conflicts. The absence comes as Collins has publicly opposed two key initiatives championed by former President Donald Trump: new 50% tariffs on goods from Canada and proposed U.S. Postal Service rule changes that could impact mail-in voting.
Vance is scheduled to deliver remarks in Brewer, Maine, at a defense technology manufacturer. This marks Vance's second visit to Maine this year, and the second time Collins has not participated in his events. In May, the Senate was in session when Vance held an event in Bangor, and Collins remained in Washington, D.C. The senator has maintained a consistent voting record, with a record of over 10,000 consecutive roll call votes.
Collins stated that scheduling conflicts prevented her from joining Vance on Monday. She noted that she recently collaborated with Energy Secretary Chris Wright during his visit to Maine to tour a federally funded battery storage project. "I really appreciated Secretary Wright's presence," Collins said.
On the issue of tariffs, Collins reiterated her opposition. "I still think imposing new tariffs on Canada is a mistake," she said. She also expressed concern over the proposed U.S. Postal Service rule, which is based on a Trump executive order. The rule aims to curb mail-in voting by refusing to deliver absentee ballots in states that have not provided raw voter rolls to the Justice Department or Department of Homeland Security. "Mail-in ballots are very important to the people of Maine," Collins stated. "I do no support restrictions that make it more difficult for seniors to cast votes on Election Day via the mail."
While Collins supports the House version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which requires proof of citizenship and photo ID for federal elections, she voted against a Senate version that was a priority for Trump. This position aligns with her past disagreements with the Trump administration on issues such as immigration enforcement.
Collins is the sole Republican senator seeking re-election in a state that voted for then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Her independent stance and divergence from Trump's policies could be a strategic approach to appeal to independent voters and some Democrats in her re-election campaign.
In May, Vance acknowledged Collins' independent streak, stating, "Sometimes I get frustrated with Susan Collins. I almost wish that she was more partisan. But the thing I love about Susan is she is independent, because Maine is an independent state. And, frankly, if she was as partisan as I sometimes wish that she was, she would not be a good fit for the people of Maine."
Vance will be joined in Brewer by former Governor Paul LePage, who is the Republican nominee for Maine's 2nd Congressional District.