by Joseph Weber
Maine Democrat Gov. Janet Mills on Tuesday announced her expected bid to challenge incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins for her seat, mentioning President Trump by name and saying she’s “never backed down from a bully.”
Mills’ campaign-launch video includes a clip of Trump confronting her in February at the White House for defying his executive order preventing trans athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports.
The Trump Department of Education (DOE) launched this investigation into whether Maine violated Title IX the same month, according to Maine Public Radio (MPR). The DOE released its findings in March, saying the state violated federal law by allowing men to compete in women’s sports, MPR says. The following month, the Department of Justice announced a lawsuit against Maine over its alleged Title IX violations.
Maine sued the federal government in April after its funding was frozen due to its alleged violation of Title IX. A judge issued a temporary restraining order, which required the Trump administration to provide the state with its federal funds. The next month, the two entities agreed to settle their dispute, with Maine receiving the previously frozen federal funds.
For the political race, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Mills to join the race, with unseating Collins critical in Democrats’ effort to regain the Senate majority, according to Fox News. Collins is the only Republican senator up for reelection next year in a state the Democrats carried in the presidential election, the news outlet also reports.
However, the 77-year-old Mills faces a crowded and competitive primary. And if Mills unseats Collins, she would be the oldest freshman senator in U.S. history.
“I’ve never backed down from a bully and I never will,” Mills said in announcing her campaign. “Donald Trump is ripping away health care from millions, driving up costs, and giving corporate CEOs massive tax cuts. And Susan Collins is helping him.”
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Joseph Weber is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
Photo “Susan Collins” by Susan Collins.
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