Developing story of the day ... www.pressherald.com/2025/02/26/u...

After being censured in a party-line vote, Libby refused to issue a formal apology, so the Republican lawmaker from Auburn will not be allowed to speak or cast votes on the House floor until she does, @rachelohm.bsky.social reports. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/25/m...

“I’ve spent the better part of my career listening to loud men talk tough to disguise their weaknesses,” Maine Gov. Janet Mills said in 2022 while running against Paul “Trump before Trump” LePage. It’s no surprise to Mainers that she stood her ground last week. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/24/t...

A 37-year-old former SpaceX worker is the first person to file papers to challenge U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in 2026 -- and he's running as an independent. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/14/f...

Chief U.S. District Judge Lance Walker said Thursday that plaintiff's have presented a strong argument that the 72-hour waiting period is unconstitutional. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/13/f...

Sen. Susan Collins (R) said she believed RFK Jr.'s vow during confirmation not to restrict vaccines, but Sen. Angus King (I) was incredulous about the prominent anti-vaxxer's 'miraculous conversion.' www.pressherald.com/2025/02/13/a...

Collins' office confirms she will vote for RFK. This story has been updated with her response. (Spoiler: She doesn't address questions about RFK's experience or his anti-vaccine past.)

CNN's Manu Raju reported on X that Susan Collins is a 'yes' on RFK Jr as U.S. health secretary. Collins' office hasn't confirmed this with me, or answered my questions about his anti-vaccine track record and why she thinks he's qualified. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/11/s...

Maine and 21 other states sue Trump over NIH funding cuts, marking the 4th lawsuit in three weeks. Sen. Susan Collins also opposes the "poorly conceived" cuts. She said RFK Jr. told her that he'd re-examine the initiative "as soon as he's confirmed." www.pressherald.com/2025/02/10/m...

The trip comes after a week of Elon Musk-induced chaos and Senate votes on controversial Trump nominees, including Russ Vought, an architect of Project 2025 who Collins supported, despite his views that a president can defund congressionally approved programs. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/07/s...

Maine Sen. Angus King called Russ Vought “one of the ringleaders of this assault on our Constitution" and "the last person who should be put in the job at the heart of the operation of our government.” Sen. Susan Collins plans to support Vought. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/06/a...

Here's the rest of my interview with Sen. Susan Collins. We talked about Elon Musk, her support of Trump's budget director despite his views on the president's power to upend spending, and efforts to root out FBI agents who worked on J6 cases. www.pressherald.com/2025/02/05/s...

I spoke with Sen. Susan Collins today. Here's what she and other members of Maine's congressional delegation said about Trump's plan to turn war-torn Gaza into "the Riviera of the Middle East." www.pressherald.com/2025/02/05/m...

Democrat U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree says there's little the minority party can do to stop Trump and Musk without Republican support, other than call out "the bluster and the chaos and this blatantly unconstitutional and illegal activity." www.pressherald.com/2025/02/04/c...

“Ms. Gabbard addressed my concerns regarding her views on Edward Snowden,” Sen. Susan Collins said. “I look forward to working with Ms. Gabbard to strengthen our national security.” www.pressherald.com/2025/02/03/s...

All eyes were on U.S. Sen. Susan Collins today, but it was Sen. Angus King who posed tougher questions at Tulsi Gabbard's confirmation hearing. And Collins allowed RFK Jr. to blame a drop in vaccine uptake on distrust, without challenging his anti-vax past. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/30/s...

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins told reporters in D.C. on Friday that there are "a lot of obvious issues" with Gabbard. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/29/s...

Maine's governor took on critics of her budget proposal from both parties and used her primetime address to come out against a citizen referendum to adopt at red flag law. She also had strong words for a commission that appoints attorneys for indigent clients. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/28/w...

Maine Gov. Janet Mills released her budget, which includes tax increases and service cuts, two weeks ago. How will she respond to criticisms from both the left and the right? Will she touch on Trump's early executive actions? www.pressherald.com/2025/01/28/g...

The Mills administration wants to return General Assistance to its original mission as a short term safety net. But advocates worry the proposed limits will force people into homelessness. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/18/g...

Maine Republicans are looking to exploit a smaller Democratic majority to repeal a 3 day waiting period for gun sales that just barely cleared the Legislature and went into effect without the Democratic governor's signature, @rachelohm.bsky.social reports. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/16/r...

A Republican bill to end the issuance of Real IDs in Maine has four Democratic co-sponsors and support from the ACLU of Maine. It's part of a multistate effort to force Congress to end the program ahead of the May enforcement date for commercial flights. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/14/m...

“Those (revenue) increases were really unprecedented,” said Mike Allen, the Maine’s associate commissioner on tax policy. “The other crazy thing about the growth rate was we were cutting taxes during that period.” www.pressherald.com/2025/01/12/h...

Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, and legislative Republicans have a similar message for Democrats in control of both chambers: Deal with a projected $450 million shortfall with cuts, not by raising income taxes or raiding the rainy day fund. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/07/m...

It’s official. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins takes over the Senate Appropriations Committee, where she’ll play a key role in budget decisions. She becomes the first Mainer to hold the job in 92 years. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/07/s...

A bill inserted into Gov. Janet Mills’ budget increased pay for members of Maine’s part-time Legislature to $45,000 for a two-year term, up from just under $28,000. www.pressherald.com/2025/01/02/m...

I have a lot of respect for the UNH Survey Center, but this can’t be right. How can the Pine Tree State possibly prefer plastic imposter trees to the fragrant fir? At least we nailed the top Christmas movie. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/17/m...

Maine Republicans, after picking up seats by hammering Democrats on the economy, want to defund the state's new paid family leave law. Without a majority, their chances of repealing the new 1% payroll tax are slim. But it keeps their election messaging alive. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/16/r...

The lawsuit is being brought by groups connected to Leonard Leo, a conservative activist credited with shifting the U.S. Supreme Court to the and who owns a home in Maine. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/13/m...

It’s the end of an era in Portland, Maine. Joe Soley was perhaps the Old Port’s most (insert adjective) landlord and developer. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/12/j...

Previous attempts have failed in Maine, which has a strong tradition of hunting and responsible gun ownership. But lawmakers have shifted on gun laws after the mass shooting in Lewiston. And a ghost gun was used in the Dec. 4 murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/12/g...

I got Sen. Collins on the phone for a few minutes after this story was originally published. Check out what more she had to say about her meeting with Hegseth (and Bondi yesterday) and the role character plays in her decision-making process.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she pressed Pete Hegseth on allegations of heavy drinking and mistreating women during an hour-plus meeting Wednesday. Collins says she hasn't decided whether she will support him as Trump's pick for defense secretary. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/11/s...

Although they belong to different parties, with one in the majority and one in the minority, Sen. Susan Collins and Rep. Jared Golden may be key swing votes in an almost evenly divided Congress, giving Maine an outsized influence, w/ @rachelohm.bsky.social. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/08/c...

I tried to speak to Rep. Lanigan before he took the oath of office this morning. He said he didn’t have time, then slipped out of the chamber early. In a text, he cited his lawyer’s advice not to talk about his felony domestic violence charges. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/04/s...

Critics say concept drafts -- basically placeholder bills with no public details until just before a hearing -- reduce citizen participation, transparency and faith in government. Last session, lawmakers submitted a record number. But that could soon change. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/04/n...

U.S. Rep. Jared Golden has a 2,700-vote lead over Republican challenger Austin Theriault, who is paying for the recount. It could take weeks to hand count more than 400,000 ballots. In 2018, Republican Bruce Poliquin stopped his recount after a week. www.pressherald.com/2024/12/02/h...

“They say this is going to be different, but we don’t know how,” Mills said of Trump “We don’t know exactly what’s going to happen until we see it.” In a 30 min interview, Janet Mills talked about tariffs, mass deportations and her final two years as governor www.pressherald.com/2024/12/01/g...

A Collins spokesperson acknowledged that Gov. Mills, a rural Democrat from the more conservative 2nd District whose approval ratings rival U.S. Sen. Angus King, would be a formidable opponent if she chooses to run. www.pressherald.com/2024/11/29/g...

The two Democrats competing to be Maine’s Attorney General battle over who can better lead the resistance against Trump. And both have a history of ethical lapses. www.pressherald.com/2024/11/22/a...

Democrats renewed calls for Rep. Lanigan to resign after his one vote victory. “It is not ideal for the people of Shapleigh, Newfield and Sanford to have someone who is more focused on defending himself from criminal charges than representing their needs.” www.pressherald.com/2024/11/21/r...

My colleague, @rachelohm.bsky.social, talked to U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat/tattooed former Marine who held a Trump district in Maine for the third straight election, about 'being real,' the Democratic brand and his political future. www.pressherald.com/2024/11/20/g...

All of the incoming Democratic leaders represent towns within 26 miles of Portland, one of the few progressive strongholds in Maine. It's the first time in nearly 20 years Democrats have not had a leader from the northern, more conservative part of the state. www.pressherald.com/2024/11/19/s...

Maine Sen. Susan Collins is planning to run for reelection in two years. I spoke with her Friday about Trump's cabinet picks and his plans to deport immigrants here illegally. www.pressherald.com/2024/11/15/s...