Susan Collins will stay in the Senate after all


Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced to applause Friday that she would stay in the Senate after having publicly flirted with a potential run for governor in her home state, BuzzFeed News reports.
Fellow Senate moderates had urged Collins, who has been a critical no vote in health-care debates, to stay in Washington, Politico reports. Democrats in particular had been following Collins' decision, because had she chosen to run for governor, a progressive candidate could have potentially won her vacated Senate seat.
"Given the contentious environment in Washington right now, my voice and vote matter a great deal," Collins said earlier this month. "On the other hand, if I were fortunate enough to be elected governor, I could work more directly on job creation."
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On Friday, Collins announced: “The best way that I can contribute to these priorities is to remain a member of the United States Senate."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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