JD Vance Praises Susan Collins As Being Representative of ME’s Independence in Senate Contest – RedState

Vice President JD Vance gave a speech at Bangor International Airport in Maine on Thursday in his role as fraud officer, leading the Anti-Fraud Task Force. Vance shined a spotlight on the Trump administration’s handling of reported fraud in the state, which includes $46 million in improper Medicaid payments for autism services.

Vance was joined by Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling and former ME Gov. Paul LaPage, running for U.S. Congress in the 2nd District, which encompasses Bangor.

In his opening statement, Vance explained why the Trump administration is so determined to root out fraud across the state.

Vance said:

I fight to preserve the feeling that Americans care for Americans. But you know who we’re not taking care of? We don’t deal with scammers and we don’t deal with people who have no right to reside in the United States of America.

Vance thanked the elected officials who joined him on the platform, then thanked ME Sen. Susan Collins (R) who was unable to attend.

Vance began:

My friend and former Senate colleague, Susan Collins, was unable to attend. Susan is back in Washington, she doesn’t like missing the votes.

This is refreshing, considering we have members of the House and Senate who have no problem with constantly missing votes and some who have been MIA for months. Democratic Rep. Frederica Wilson (FL-24) and Republican Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) are two that come to mind.

Dive Deeper: Where in the world is Frederica Wilson? Dem, 83, is MIA

Tom Kean speaks out: MIA NJ Rep finally addresses his nearly two-month absence from Congress

According to her spokesperson, Collins is proud and protective of her voting record.

“She has never missed a vote during her entire tenure in the Senate and is approaching her 10,000th roll call vote,” he said.

Kudos to Collins for doing his job and being a constant presence to his constituents. Vance had more to say about Collins and praised her for reflecting her state’s independence.

Here’s what I will say about Susan Collins: Sometimes I get frustrated with Susan Collins. I almost wish she was more partisan. But what I love about Susan is that she’s independent because Maine is an independent state. And frankly, if she were as partisan as I sometimes wish she were, she wouldn’t sit well with Maine people. So, let’s pay tribute to Susan Collins who is doing an excellent job.

WATCH:

🚨 WOW! Vice President JD Vance just congratulated Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who now faces socialist Graham Platner (D) next November.

He’s right. We MUST occupy this seat.

“Susan Collins, sometimes I get frustrated…I almost wish she was more partisan. BUT, the… pic.twitter.com/9U9wo6VH8N

– Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 14, 2026

Democrats have long targeted Collins, who is seeking election to a sixth term in the Senate. They believe they can exploit anti-Trump and anti-Republican sentiment in the state to achieve this, by supporting oyster farmer and Navy veteran Graham Platner as their candidate.

Despite Platner’s display of a Nazi tattoo on his chest (which he has since covered up) and recently revealed online recordings of his sexist, racist, and anti-Semitic comments on Reddit, the same Democrats who have spent the last eight years describing President Donald Trump as a Nazi and Hitler are going out of their way to excuse Platner’s tattoo and antisocial behavior, while pouring the contents of their war chest and support into his campaign.

Maine Democratic candidate running for U.S. Senate Graham Platner said the tattoo recognized as an N*zi symbol had been covered up.

So…the party that calls MAGA and President Trump N*zis…are about to elect a guy who has a real N*zi tattoo. Oh…but it’s… pic.twitter.com/mEfS8MHoo6

— 🎹Ames™ 🎹 (@Real_Ames) May 4, 2026

Maine Democratic candidate running for U.S. Senate Graham Platner said the tattoo recognized as an N*zi symbol had been covered up.

So…the party that calls MAGA and President Trump N*zis…are about to elect a guy who has a real N*zi tattoo. Oh…but it’s okay…he covered it up (when MAGA performed the double standard). 🙄 👍🏻 👌🏻

Learn more: Democrats hitch their wagons to Graham Platner, but looming revelations could knock the wheels off

Our “Modern” Media – Pardon an Admitted Nazi, Fire the Republican for the Words of Others

This is our shocked face.

The 73-year-old is on a collision course with Graham Platner, the 41-year-old presumptive Democratic nominee, who has never voted in any legislative chamber.

Mr. Platner’s lack of governing experience factored into Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s decision to recruit Democratic Gov. Janet Mills to run for the seat.

But with Mr. Platner, a former sailor and oyster farmer, energizing activists and capturing most of the attention, Ms. Mills’s campaign never caught fire. She recently dropped out of the race, setting the stage for the November showdown that will test the weight voters give to legislative experience and, in Ms. Collins’s case, records.

In fact, it will be a test between honesty and hypocrisy. Love or hate Susan Collins, as her record has shown, and as Vance asserted, she has remained true to her independence, true to her constituents, and true to herself.

Editor’s note: The 2026 midterm elections will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both houses of Congress.

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