Maine GOP Senator Declines VP Vance Event, Criticizes Trump Tariffs and Mail-in Rules

Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, seeking a fourth term in a state that backed the Democratic presidential candidate, announced she cannot attend Vice President JD Vance's stop in Brewer, where he will address a gathering at defense firm Compotech. Collins used the occasion to denounce President Donald Trump's recent 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods and a proposed U.S. Postal Service rule that would restrict mail-in voting in states that have not provided raw voter rolls to federal agencies.

She also defended the importance of absentee ballots for seniors and praised a recent visit by Energy Secretary Chris Wright to a federally funded battery storage project in Lincoln. The senator's positions reflect ongoing friction with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and the SAVE America Act, as she faces a competitive race that could affect the GOP's slim Senate majority. Vance's tour, accompanied by former Maine Governor Paul LePage, highlights the party's effort to rally support in a pivotal battleground.