Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 7h

Good local piece on @dunlapforcongress.bsky.social entry into the CD-2 race including some biographical details we were not aware of. #MEpolitics

Bar Harbor native Matt Dunlap to challenge Golden in primary

Maine State Auditor Matt Dunlap is taking on the moderate Democrat in a district that could determine control of Congress.

www.ellsworthamerican.com

3 12

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 7h

A total abdication. Pathetic and indefensible. tinyurl.com/ac6bpha6 #MEpolitics

8 57 240

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 11h

Wild stuff.

Of course, Susan Collins voted against 85 Biden nominees -- virtually all of them highly qualified.

Needless to say, none of them was a self-avowed Christian nationalist; vowed to break the law in office; or denied the outcome of the 2020 election. #MEpolitics

1 11 18

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 15h

What are you doing in your capacity as a member of the House of Representatives to push back? #MEpolitics

1 11

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 15h

Angus King, a big talker who likes to invoke Joshua Chamberlain but has more in common with Neville, votes to capitulate to Trump for at least the sixth time. #MEpolitics

Senate Press Gallery @senatepress.bsky.social · 16h

Dem/Independent senators voting in favor: Cortez Masto, Fetterman, & King.

GOP Senator Paul voted No.

Senator Cruz did not vote.

1 3 16

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 18h

I agree that's part of it but the other half is leading with values and goals rather than jumping straight to a list of (often narrow, insidery-sounding) policy planks. That is sorely lacking among elected Dems at the national level.

1

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 18h

@dunlapforcongress.bsky.social just announced against Golden.

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 18h

Thought about asking @dunlapforcongress.bsky.social about DC statehood when we interviewed him but didn't get around to it.

MATT DUNLAP ON DEMOCRACY, ACCESSIBILITY AND JARED GOLDEN

Our interview with the new entrant in Maine's CD-2 race

susancollinswatch.substack.com

1 1

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 18h

There's no actual argument here. Just vibes. Disappointing.

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 21h

Susan Collins and her allies (Newsmax donated to her super PAC last cycle) are trying to find a way to plausibly argue that, when the shutdown ends, she was the one who "solved" it.

They pulled the same ploy in 2013. Got debunked (tinyurl.com/2f7kd9fu) but too many outlets played along. #MEpolitics

39 55 110

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 21h

Warnock, Ossoff, AOC, Mamdani. Walz is pretty good.

It's not just that they're good talkers. It's that they aren't starting from a pre-cooked set of poll-tested talking points. Seems clear they actually go thru the task of feeling and thinking for themselves -- and build their message from there.

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 21h

Respectfully disagree. He's a good communicator but there are plenty of good communicators out there...Either vanishingly few of them want to run for office OR they are being counseled/nudged/etc against talking this plainly OR some combination of the two.

We need better Dem candidates.

2

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Not to be confused with the *other* super PAC supporting Susan Collins -- the one private equity billionaire Steven Schwarzman handed $2,000,000 to the day before Collins voted to advance Trump's destructive, health care-gutting tax bill. #MEpolitics

White House Watchdog @whitehousewatchdog.bsky.social · 1d

Maine becomes the focal point in the government shutdown blame game impacting state residents and highlighting political tensions.

Super PAC launches $250,000 campaign defending Susan Collins on government shutdown

Maine becomes the focal point in the government shutdown blame game impacting state residents and highlighting political tensions.

www.axios.com

1 4 10

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

The argument is she is well-known; has a history of statewide wins; and in a blue state in a forced choice situation, she'll be able to earn the bigger half of the pie no matter what Susan Collins team and their billionaire backers throw at her...in a way that isn't maybe true of others. #MEpolitics

1 3

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Graham Platner is an adept communicator...and seems to be getting sharper by the day...

At the same time, we can't help thinking:

Other people could talk like this too! It's not rocket science! And it's sort of scandalous/embarrassing how novel this approach feels in 2025! #MEpolitics

Graham Platner for Senate @grahamformaine.bsky.social · 1d

VA healthcare saved my life. It allowed me to build my business.

In the richest country on Earth, we can guarantee decent healthcare for all.

6 13 40

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Does anyone believe Susan Collins would vote to confirm dozens and dozens of nominees for a Democratic administration EN MASSE like she just did for Trump (again)?

There's no way. #MEpolitics

1 5 14

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Looks like Janet Mills is moving up her announcement. #MEpolitics

Axios @axios.com · 1d

Scoop: Maine Gov. Janet Mills is poised to jump into Maine Senate race

Scoop: Mills poised to jump into Maine Senate race

Gov. Janey Mills' entry into the race would set off another complicated Democratic primary.

trib.al

4 1 4

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Anyone else recall Susan Collins making a 'commitment' not to vote for nominees who posed a threat to Roe then doing it anyway?

Or 'committing' to back gun clip limits then voting against?

Or saying she had 'commitments' from Trump/Mitch to pass a health fix bill and it not being true? #MEpolitics

3 18

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Not clear to us why anyone would think Jared Golden, who's alienated tons of CD-2 folks with his callous remarks, awful votes and broken promises has a markedly better chance of beating LePage than the former president of the Maine Sportsman's Alliance (Dunlap). #MEpolitics

1 3

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Feels too early to set that sort of baseline.

Depends e.g. on whether Maine grassroots like folks at @indivisiblebangor.org embrace Dunlap and line up to run his ground campaign; if the online left opens their wallet for him; and how hard the party works to stack the deck against him. #MEpolitics

1 3

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Missed this yesterday: Angus King briefly dangled the possibility of standing up to Trump...but then voted to capitulate for the fifth time.

What happened to this guy? #MEpolitics

1 4 10

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Jared Golden's actual message in 2018 was Medicare for All; town halls; and defending the 99% while going after the 1%. He's broken faith with his constituents on all three. #MEpolitics

21

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

Matt Dunlap hits Jared Golden over Golden's continued support for sending Israel offensive weapons amid its ethnic cleansing of Gaza. tinyurl.com/mw7zvxb4 #MEpolitics

1 1 12

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

When the manager demands to speak to the manager. Awkward. #MEpolitics

James Myall @jamesxmyall.bsky.social · 1d

“The [Appropriations] Committee, chaired by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), writes the legislation that allocates federal funds to the numerous government agencies, departments, and organizations on an annual basis.” - Senate website #mepolitics

www.pressherald.com/2025/10/06/s...

Sen. Susan Collins criticizes Democrats for shutdown, Trump for layoff threats

Maine's Republican senator said Monday that she has asked the Office of Management and Budget not to pursue mass layoffs of federal workers, something the White House has threatened.

www.pressherald.com

1 3

Collins Watch @collinswatch.bsky.social · 1d

We spoke to @dunlapforcongress.bsky.social about Jared Golden, the rule of law and bunch of other things in the lead-up to his announcement.

A couple interesting and telling anecdotes in there.

Our interview at the link below. #MEpolitics

MATT DUNLAP ON DEMOCRACY, ACCESSIBILITY AND JARED GOLDEN

Our interview with the new entrant in Maine's CD-2 race

susancollinswatch.substack.com

1 7 15