Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon won the Democratic nomination Tuesday to face the senator. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsMore Republicans Should Support Crisis Aid For The Postal Service Republican Senators Express Confidence In Senate Uphill Battle Republicans Consider Outdoor Stadium For Florida Convention: MORE Report (R-Maine) in November.
Gideon beat two other progressive opponents in the primary, lobbyist Betsy Sweet and attorney Bre Kidman. She led with 70 percent of the vote with 13 percent of the newsrooms, according to The Associated Press.
His victory was not a surprise; She was the big favorite to win the nomination and has already spent months directing her efforts against Collins.
Still, Gideon’s primary victory formalizes a showdown that Democrats have been waiting for over a year. Collins is among the most vulnerable Republican incumbents seeking reelection this year, and Gideon is one of the top Democratic Party recruits.
“We did it! Thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign to choose a senator who will fight for Mainers, not special interests,” Gideon said in a tweet after his victory.
We did it! Thank you to all who have supported our campaign to elect a senator who will fight for Mainers, not special interests. Forward to November! #political
Join us: https://t.co/2rTH7x3PbF
– Sara Gideon (@SaraGideon) July 15, 2020
Democrats must get at least three or four seats this year, depending on which party gains control of the White House, to capture a majority in the Senate, and they see Collins’ seat in Maine as absolutely crucial to achieving that goal.
Collins, a four-term incumbent who has long been re-elected for her reputation as an independent-minded Republican, ignited fury among Democrats in 2017 after she voted to confirm. Brett Kavanaugh
Brett Michael Kavanaugh Roberts Court Moderates Conservative Expectations NIGHT-TIME ENERGY: WH lobbied to ‘fix’ the Weather Service tweet that contradicts Trump in the ‘Sharpiegate’ incident, says watchdog | Supreme Court Rules Much of Oklahoma Belongs to Native American Tribe Five Findings of Supreme Court Rulings on Trump Tax Returns MORE before the Supreme Court while facing sexual assault charges.
Gideon, in a campaign speech posted online, persecuted Collins for his vote in Kavanaugh and the administration’s appointment of conservative federal judges.
“And as President Trump continues to divide our country, we remember all the times that Senator Collins allowed and excused his attacks on our democracy,” he added. “Senator Collins has changed. And Mainers deserves better. Mainers deserves a senator who will bring people together to overcome the challenges we face and deliver real results.”
In a video posted via tweet, Collins, who was not questioned in her primary school, said she looks forward to November.
“I look forward to the campaign in the fall because I know I have your support. Together we will prevail and I can assure you that I will continue to fight hard for the state of Maine every day,” Collins said.
Since Gideon announced his candidacy for the Senate last year, money has been invested in his campaign. His campaign announced this month that he had raised more than $ 9 million in the second quarter of 2020. His most recent financial report available shows that he had approximately $ 5.5 million in cash, approximately $ 500,000 more than Collins at the bank.
Collins and Gideon have already been airing announcements between them for months, and outside groups have spent a lot in the state in anticipation of a showdown between the two candidates, fueling expectations that the 2020 Senate race will be the most expensive in Maine history. .
Polls already show a tight race between Collins and Gideon. A poll by public policy firm Public Policy Polling conducted in early July showed Gideon with a 4-point lead over Collins.
Abigail Mihaly contributed.
Updated at 10:55 pm
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