RI Native Gideon Taking on Senator Collins in High Profile Maine U.S. Senate Race

RI Native Gideon Taking on Senator Collins in High Profile Maine U.S. Senate Race

Sara Gideon, a Rhode Island native, announced on Monday that she will challenge U.S. Senator Susan Collins in what is likely to be one of the country’s highest-profile political races in America in 2020.

Gideon grew up in East Greenwich and served as an intern on the staff of the late U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell.

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Today, Gideon serves as the Speaker of the House in Maine.

Collins may be the last of the New England moderate Republicans — a group that used to be a major political force in New England and in the United States Senate. Collins once teamed with fellow moderate Maine U.S. Senator Olympia Snow and other moderate Senators like Lincoln Chafee to create a centrist voice in the Senate.

Collins is under fire for supporting President Donald Trump on a number of key votes including the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Gideon said in her announcement, "I’m running against Susan Collins for U.S. Senate because Mainers deserve a senator who will always put our state first."

"One of the reasons why Senator Collins has been so effective is that she has more seniority than any U.S. senator from Maine over the past 70 years. She will continue to build on her record of extraordinary accomplishments for the people of Maine,” said Collins office in a statement.