Kavanaugh's Shadow Casts Dark Cloud Over Maine Senate Race

In a political battlefield rife with war, soaring costs, and Medicaid cuts, Democrats in Maine are rallying around a singular issue: Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation from eight years ago.

Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, played a crucial role in Kavanaugh's 2018 confirmation, claiming he viewed Roe v. Wade as “settled law.” That assertion has since been proven false.

Kavanaugh became the deciding vote in the 5-4 majority that dismantled Roe v. Wade in 2022, triggering a wave of abortion bans across numerous states.

“After she voted for Kavanaugh, that was the last straw,” declared Arie Mobley at a rally for Collins’ Democratic challenger, Graham Platner.

Janice Low recalled her excitement when Collins initially opposed Kavanaugh. “It was just so representative. That she could say this — and then do that,” she lamented after Collins confirmed him.

Kavanaugh’s past looms large over the current Senate race. In 2018, Collins defended Kavanaugh amid serious allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which many deemed disqualifying. Kavanaugh firmly denied these claims, stating, “The truth is I’ve never sexually assaulted anyone, in high school or otherwise.”

Now, Collins faces a Democratic opponent accused of being physically threatening by an ex-girlfriend, a claim she finds “extremely troubling.” Platner’s accuser is a conservative advocate who previously sought to discredit Kavanaugh’s accusers.

Platner and his supporters are weaponizing Collins’ Kavanaugh vote, viewing his 2022 abortion ruling as fresh ammunition against her. They warn that if Republicans regain Senate control, Collins could again play a pivotal role in confirming Supreme Court justices.

During his primary victory speech, Platner highlighted Collins’ Kavanaugh vote and the Supreme Court’s abortion decision. “She lied to us,” he asserted. “If you are so bipartisan, why were you the deciding vote to put Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court?”

For months, Platner has framed Collins’ Kavanaugh vote as a core reason for her untrustworthiness. “Either she lied to us or she’s a fool,” he stated at a rally in Bar Harbor.

Despite expressing disappointment in Kavanaugh’s ruling, Collins has never regretted her confirmation vote. In a February interview, she defended her decision as one she spent considerable time contemplating.

Maine stands out among battleground states for consistently electing Republican senators while voters largely support reproductive rights.

A key Democratic super PAC plans to run abortion-related ads targeting Collins’ “anti-choice record” in the upcoming general election. This strategy marks Maine as the only battleground state where abortion-related ads from the left are anticipated to play a significant role.

Polling from the Senate Majority PAC indicates that attacking Collins on abortion resonates strongly with registered Democrats, second only to healthcare and Medicaid cuts.

A spokesperson for Collins dismissed these attacks as outdated and irrelevant to Mainers’ current concerns. “They’re wrong,” she stated.

The Kavanaugh connection doesn’t end there. Platner recently faced allegations of “toxic” behavior from women he dated. One woman accused him of physical threats during their relationship.

Lyndsey Fifield claimed that during their time together, Platner once “twisted her arm behind her back” and confined her to a room until she calmed down.

Fifield previously supported Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings and criticized his accusers. She co-founded Ladies for Kavanaugh to defend him against allegations of sexual misconduct.

“The orchestrated smearing of a good man to make the public believe he’s a sexual predator (when he isn’t) is yes, a monstrous evil,” she stated in 2018.

Fifield is linked to conservative groups and has worked for prominent Republican campaigns. While prominent Democrats have not targeted her activism, some progressives have not held back.

“This is a right-wing smear campaign,” commented Emma Vigeland on social media, as Platner’s supporters echoed similar sentiments against Fifield.

A Democratic strategist noted that Kavanaugh will be a significant issue in the campaign due to his role in overturning Roe v. Wade and Collins’ vote for him.

Two years post-Kavanaugh’s confirmation, Collins won re-election, which her allies viewed as validation of her vote. However, after Kavanaugh’s pivotal ruling against Roe v. Wade, Collins claimed he misled her during their discussions prior to her vote.

Throughout her tenure, Collins has voted for seven of the eight sitting justices but opposed Justice Amy Coney Barrett for procedural reasons due to timing before the 2020 election.

In her 2018 speech announcing her vote for Kavanaugh, Collins expressed skepticism about Ford’s allegations and emphasized the importance of fairness in evaluating claims of misconduct.

Collins recently called Platner’s behavior “extremely troubling” and demanded he provide detailed answers to the people of Maine.

“I haven’t heard that,” she remarked regarding the allegations against Platner.

Collins stated she had no connection to Fifield and had never heard her name before reading about her in the news.