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Jayne Crosby Giles is a former Maine state representative from Belfast. At the State House, she served on the Committees for Appropriations and Financial Affairs and Business, Research, and Economic Development.
Sen. Susan Collins recently cast her 10,000th consecutive roll call vote in the U.S. Senate. She has never missed a vote, making her the first senator in our country’s history to reach that milestone. Her record says a lot about her integrity, character, and commitment.
As Senator Collins made history, Senate colleagues praised and thanked her. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, noted in his congratulatory remarks that he began his time in the Senate on the same day as Senator Collins. “This is a true record, and it’s one that reflects her commitment to public service,” he said. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, noted that Collins is “the most effective U.S. senator in the nation.”
As Mainers, regardless of political belief, we can share in the pride for her attaining this achievement.
You may wonder, how has Collins managed to never miss a vote? Most do not know that Sen. Collins often gives up Sundays in Maine to fly to Washington, D.C. to make sure she is present for the first vote on Monday. Quick math shows that over 1,000 Sundays — nearly three years of her life — have been spent away from family and friends to ensure that a nor’easter, snow storm, or cancelled flight did not keep her away from Washington.
I believe that her reliability comes from her roots in Aroostook County, where her parents taught her the value of hard work and keeping commitments. When Collins spoke about her voting streak, she said it is her goal to work as hard as Mainers do. There’s something distinctly Maine about her moxie.
Collins keeps a consistent presence in the Senate that is incredibly important to Maine. As a small state, the Senate is the side of our bicameral federal legislature where Mainers can have more influence. It is where Maine will either be represented or forgotten — and I believe Collins makes sure that Maine is never forgotten. By being in Washington, D.C., when “things happen” and as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins has been able to bring home essential resources to support our hospitals, shipbuilding jobs, and first responders. She puts Maine’s needs first.
Real public service is not flashy. It requires consistency, character, and commitment that is, sadly, often missed in today’s politics. But that isn’t Collins and that isn’t Maine. The respect she holds for institutions and her constituents is second to none. As a result, she holds the respect of many of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle — increasing her ability to be an effective leader in Congress.
Collins’ achievement of 10,000 consecutive votes is, perhaps, as much Maine’s achievement as it is her own. Through her unwavering commitment to showing up and being there for us, I believe she has demonstrated to Washington the values that have long defined our state.
Together as Mainers, we can congratulate and thank Collins for her hard work, dedication, and achievement. This is truly an accomplishment and I’m proud to call her “Our Senator.”