In 1996, Senator Collins was elected to the Senate, succeeding Bill Cohen. She was reelected in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first-ever Republican woman to win a 5th term. She is also the first popularly elected U.S. Senator from Maine to be elected to a 5th term. She is the eighth-most senior member of the Senate and the most senior Republican woman.
Senator Collins has earned a national reputation as an effective legislator who works across party lines to solve problems and deliver results for the people of Maine and America. She has repeatedly been ranked as the most bipartisan member of the U.S. Senate by the Lugar Center and Georgetown University.
Throughout her Senate service, Senator Collins has worked with members of both parties to advance landmark legislation to improve the lives of all Americans. Her record demonstrates significant legislative accomplishments in such critical areas as health care, small business development and job creation, education, transportation, national defense, and issues of particular interest to our nation’s seniors.
Known for her Maine work ethic, Senator Collins has cast more than 8,500 consecutive votes and holds the longest perfect voting record in the history of the U.S. Senate.
