Susan M. Collins
RepublicanU.S. Senator, ME| Age | 73 (b. 1952-12-07) |
| Gender | Female |
| In office since | 1997-01-07 (~29 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White (English and Irish ancestry) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Education | B.A. in Government, magna cum laude, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, 1975; member Phi Beta Kappa |
| Prior occupation | Legislative assistant and staff director for Senator William Cohen (1975-1987); Maine Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation (1987); New England Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration (1992-1993); Deputy State Treasurer of Massachusetts (1993); Founding Executive Director, Center for Family Business, Husson College (1994-1996) |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Caribou, Maine |
| Languages | English |
| Marital status | married — Thomas Daffron |
| Children | 0 |
| Residence | Bangor, Maine (Greater Bangor area) |
| Notable relatives | Father: Donald Collins, Maine state legislator and mayor of Caribou (d. 2018); Mother: Patricia Collins, first woman elected mayor of Caribou and first female chair of UMaine System Board of Trustees (d. 2024); Uncle: Samuel W. Collins Jr., Maine Supreme Judicial Court and Maine Senate |
Pending research: openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 1996 |
| Previous offices | Maine Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation (1987) · New England Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration (1992-1993) · Deputy State Treasurer of Massachusetts (1993) · Founding Executive Director, Center for Family Business, Husson College (1994-1996) · Republican gubernatorial nominee, Maine (1994) — lost general election |
| Committees | Senate Appropriations Committee (Chair, 2025-present) · Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee · Senate Select Committee on Intelligence |
| Caucuses | Republican Main Street Partnership · Senate Taiwan Caucus · Congressional Coalition on Adoption |
| Leadership | Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee (January 2025-present) · Vice Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee (119th Congress, prior to chairmanship) · Chair, Senate Special Committee on Aging (2015-2021) · Chair, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (2003-2007) |
| Ideology | Consistently identified as the most moderate Republican in the Senate; New York Times ranked her most liberal Republican in 2017; American Conservative Union lifetime rating 46.03%; National Journal 2013: 55% conservative, 45% liberal; voted with her party only 59% of the time (1997-2016); ranked most bipartisan senator in 116th Congress by Lugar Center |
| Signature legislation | Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (co-authored with Sen. Joe Lieberman; created Director of National Intelligence and National Counterterrorism Center) · Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 (led bipartisan effort) · Respect for Marriage Act (Dobbs-Collins, 2022; codified same-sex marriage in federal law) · Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021; core negotiating group of 10 senators) · Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (2016; opioid treatment provisions) · Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (2022; gun safety) · Kay Hagan Tick Act of 2019 (Lyme disease and tick-borne illness federal response) |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $3,087,088–$7,959,000 (2023) · estimate
| TD Bank (deposits, multiple accounts) | other · $450,003–$1,000,000 · 2023 |
| Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) | fund · $15,001–$500,000 · 2025 |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | stock · $1,001–$250,000 · 2025 |
| Fidelity Asset Manager 50% (FASMX) | fund · $100,001–$250,000 · 2025 |
| Waste Connections, Inc. (WCN) | stock · $1,001–$250,000 · 2025 |
| Voya US Stock Index Fund | fund · $100,001–$250,000 · 2023 |
Top donors: DLA Piper ($55,133 (career)) · Georgia Crown Distributing ($34,800 (2024 cycle, via Collins Victory Committee))
Top industries: Securities & Investment · Health Professionals · Pharmaceuticals/Health Products · Insurance · Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
Scandals & crimes ledger
No recorded incidents. Under the adjudicated-only methodology, an entry appears only when a court or official body has formally acted and the record is cited.