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Bangor Today
By the People, for the People
Ex-GOP Operative Slams Senator Collins for Reelection Bid
Longtime Republican strategist Rick Wilson calls Collins a "worst of the worst" Trump enabler deserving of defeat.
Published on Feb. 10, 2026
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Former Republican strategist Rick Wilson harshly criticized longtime GOP Senator Susan Collins of Maine for announcing her campaign for reelection, calling her "the worst of the worst" for continuing to support former President Donald Trump despite his controversies and describing her as a "dazzlingly cynical" politician who trades votes for political favors.
Why it matters
Collins' reelection bid is seen as a key race that could determine control of the Senate, with Democrats eyeing her seat as a potential pickup opportunity. Wilson's scathing rebuke of Collins highlights the deep divisions within the Republican party and the ongoing tensions between traditional conservatives and Trump-aligned factions.
The details
In a Substack post, Wilson accused Collins of "empowering, enabling, and embracing Donald Trump every time she thinks she can get away with it." He criticized her claims of being an independent voice, arguing that she simply trades her votes for "a few hundred million in earmarks" from Republican leadership. Wilson said Collins is "selling her vote to the highest bidder" and that her career has become a "transactional loop" where she supports the "most destructive elements of the MAGA agenda" in exchange for political favors.
- On February 10, 2026, Senator Susan Collins announced her campaign for reelection.
The players
Rick Wilson
A former Republican strategist and co-founder of the anti-Trump group The Lincoln Project.
Susan Collins
A longtime Republican Senator from Maine who is running for reelection in 2026.
What they’re saying
“Susan Collins is the worst of the worst because she plays moral, normal, and centrist on the Sunday shows while empowering, enabling, and embracing Donald Trump every time she thinks she can get away with it.”
— Rick Wilson, Former Republican Strategist (Substack)
“Her career has become a transactional loop where Mitch McConnell or John Thune dangles the keys to the Appropriations Committee goodie room, showering Maine with infrastructure pork and 'targeted investments,' and in exchange, Susan provides the pivotal 'aye' for the most destructive elements of the MAGA agenda.”
— Rick Wilson, Former Republican Strategist (Substack)
What’s next
With Collins' announcement, the race for her Senate seat is expected to be a key battleground in the 2026 elections as Democrats seek to gain control of the chamber.
The takeaway
Wilson's scathing critique of Collins highlights the deep divisions within the Republican party and the ongoing tensions between traditional conservatives and Trump-aligned factions. The outcome of Collins' reelection bid could have significant implications for the balance of power in the Senate.
