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Former Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., is traveling to Maine this week to campaign with Republican Sen. Susan Collins, according to details shared first with Semafor.
The moderate West Virginian said his visit is motivated by the attacks on Collins for voting too often in support of President Donald Trump.
Manchin will hit Maine on Wednesday with Collins and visit the Lewiston-Auburn area of Androscoggin County, a fairly evenly divided part of the state. Collins is looking to emphasize her bipartisan credentials down the stretch as her opponent, Democrat Troy Jackson, leans on his progressive allies and campaigns as a blunt check on Trump.
In an interview on Sunday, Manchin said he “can’t remember” a bipartisan effort Collins wasn’t involved in and that he wants to make sure the people of Maine understand how her style of legislating benefits the state.
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From Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on down, Democrats are attacking Collins for voting for Trump’s nominees and his legislation, though she opposed the tax cuts law and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation. Collins also helped tank Obamacare repeal in 2017, but Jackson has argued her opposition to Trump is not decisive.
Democrats cite statistics showing Collins votes with Trump 90% or more of the time, but Manchin called those numbers “bullsh*t” because they include mostly nominee votes. He said his trip is dedicated to “debunking” the idea that she’s been an enabler for Trump. “She is not a Trump senator,” he said.
Manchin specifically mentioned the Electoral Count Act, a law intended to prevent another Jan. 6-style attempt to block an election result, which Collins sponsored. He also worked closely with Collins on the bipartisan infrastructure law.
“In the Senate, Joe and I worked across the aisle to tackle some of our nation’s toughest challenges. Together, we built bipartisan coalitions to end government shutdowns, secure critical COVID-19 relief, and pass the bipartisan infrastructure law,” Collins said. “We need more people in the Senate, not fewer, who are willing to put partisanship aside, listen to one another, and deliver results.”
Now that their debates are over, Maine’s Senate race is entering its final stage. And Manchin’s visit will contrast sharply with some of Jackson’s high-profile progressive surrogates like Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Jackson will hold a town hall with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., on Thursday.