Republican Sen. Collins promotes her independence and ‘true blue-blooded Maine’-ness by partnering with ex-Dem. Joe Manchin and breaking from Trump

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins is using the closing days of the election season to reinforce her reputation as one of the Senate’s most independent members. Her campaign is underscoring that message through an alliance with former Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who has endorsed her.

A campaign built around independence

Collins has long promoted her political independence, and the campaign appearance with Manchin gives voters another visible example of that positioning. Manchin served as a Democratic colleague of Collins before leaving the Senate, making his support notable in a campaign focused on presenting Collins as distinct from a strictly partisan identity.

The strategy is aimed at voters during the final phase of the election season, when candidates typically work to define their public image and reinforce their central campaign themes. In Collins’ case, that theme is her independence as a Republican representing Maine.

Why the partnership matters

Manchin’s endorsement connects Collins with a former Democratic senator while allowing her campaign to emphasize a political profile that crosses party lines. The available information does not specify the details of their campaign events or identify particular policy disagreements, but it makes clear that the partnership is being used to support Collins’ independent image.

What comes next

Collins is continuing to present that message to voters as the election season winds down. The campaign’s use of Manchin’s endorsement places independence at the center of her effort in the closing stretch.