Maine Democrats say Collins failed to protect Mainers’ healthcare
Thu, August 6, 2026 at 10:17 PM
UpdatedFri, August 7, 2026 at 6:22 AM
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Democrats are calling out Senator Susan Collins for cuts to Medicaid, while Collins says she’s voted to protect Medicaid. (WGME)
LEWISTON (WGME) – Maine Democrats are highlighting what they say is a failure by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins to protect Mainers’ healthcare
Democrats gathered in Lewiston on Thursday for the first stop of what they’re calling their “Retire Susan Recess” tour, coinciding with the Senate’s summer recess
They claim Collins cast a key vote allowing President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” to move forward. Democrats say the legislation cut Medicaid and Affordable Care Act tax credits, causing health care costs to increase for tens of thousands of Mainers
“This bill took funding away from health care and nutrition for everyday people to pay for massive tax giveaways to billionaires and corporate donors. Susan Collins had the seniority and the power to stop this. She could have stopped this. Instead, she locked arms with Donald Trump and her billionaire donors to harm Maine people so that they could all get richer,” Democratic state Rep. Drew Gattine said
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Democrats say their U.S. Senate candidate, Troy Jackson, has a stronger and proven record of protecting health care
Collins’ campaign responded by saying Democrats are intentionally misrepresenting her record and that she has voted against cutting Medicaid several times
Collins released a statement on the issue Thursday:
“Susan Collins has voted against cutting Medicaid more than a dozen times. She received an award for her opposition to the One Big Beautiful Bill. Her rural health transformation proposal led to Maine getting $190 million in federal funding for rural hospitals.”
Collins did support a procedural vote last year that allowed the president’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” to advance to the Senate floor, where she ultimately voted against it
