Politics
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U.S. Sen. Susan Collins cast her 10,000th consecutive vote on Thursday, putting her on the verge of reaching the longest-ever such streak in the Senate.
The Maine Republican has not missed a vote since she entered the chamber in 1997. She has already cast more consecutive votes than any senator who has never missed one, although she may have to win her hotly contested November race to break the all-time record set by Sen. William Proxmire, D-Wisconsin, who retired in 1988 and died in 2005.
Her vote was followed by short floor tributes from the leaders of both parties, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, who has had a frosty relationship with the Maine senator who has been at the top of his target list for two straight election cycles.
In his speech, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, recalled boasting of his 99.2% voting record while sitting at an event with Collins: “You’ll never catch me,” she retorted.
“Mainers are known for their work ethic, and I have strived to bring those values here to my work representing them in the United State Senate,” she said. “It is such an honor, and I’m so grateful for the support of my colleagues.”
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The longest voting streak was once held by the legendary Maine Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, but a hip surgery in 1966 ended it at 2,941 roll-call votes. Proxmire shattered it by casting 10,252 straight votes between 1966 and 1988 but missed votes earlier in his career.
Collins’ pace puts her on target to set the record by early next year. To get there, she needs to win her toss-up November bid for a sixth term that would make her the longest-serving senator in Maine history. It’s one of four main seats that will decide control of the Senate.
It will likely pit Collins against Democrat Graham Platner, a progressive oyster farmer and military veteran who was a political unknown when he launched his campaign in August. He has led Collins in polls despite a string of controversies including a Thursday story in The New York Times in which three former girlfriends called him physically intimidating.
The Maine senator was widely popular in the state until her 2018 vote for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh led to her approval breaking down more along party lines. She still won her 2020 election over Democrat Sara Gideon after trailing in every public poll of the race.