Let’s help send Susan Collins off into retirement | Letter
Maine resident urges Sen. Susan Collins to consider retirement as 2026 election approaches
Auburn, Maine – In a letter to the editor of The Press Herald, Auburn resident David Griswold asked readers to consider the possibility that U.S. Senator Susan Collins could lose her seat in the 2026 election and urged the 75‑year‑old senator to retire rather than seek a fourth term.
Griswold, who notes he is the same age as Collins, wrote that he has followed the senator’s career and observed that she will be 80 by the time her term ends. He expressed concern that she “could actually lose an election” and highlighted that this is the first time he has recalled Collins requesting contributions in campaign spots, a detail he suggests points to the intensity of her campaign.
The letter questions Collins’s decision not to retire, stating that she has cast 10,000 votes in the Senate but that the “quality of her votes has deteriorated.” Griswold added that he is unsure how many Trump- or MAGA‑aligned votes the senator might cast if she serves another term and whether such votes would benefit Maine voters. He further characterized her as “the most bipartisan senator” only “a pretty low bar these days,” implying that bipartisan work has become more difficult.
“I am the same age as our senator,” Griswold wrote. “I know that if she is elected, she will be 80 by the end of her term. By that age, we will both be thinking more about the past than about the future.” He concluded, “Part of leadership is knowing when to step back. Sen. Collins will not follow George Washington’s example, so we need to help her enjoy retirement.”
The letter was published as part of Maine Matters’ coverage of the state’s 2026 election. It was one of several editorials and letters that have appeared in the outlet’s political reporting, which also includes regular updates from editor Kirby Wilson and a newsletter called the Maine Political Report.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican representing Maine’s 2nd congressional district since 1997, has long been known for her moderate positions and for often voting across party lines. She is facing a primary challenge from within her party and a general election contest against a Democrat in 2026. While she has received praise for her bipartisan approach, critics argue that she has aligned with the Trump administration on several key votes in recent years. Whether Collins will choose to seek re‑election or retire remains to be seen, but Griswold’s letter is one of many voices calling for a change in leadership as the election cycle progresses.
