Susan Collins doesn’t regret putting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, speaks with then Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh at her office in August 2018. (Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press)
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PORTLAND — Sen. Susan Collins said Friday that she doesn’t regret her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, though she disagrees with his decision to overturn abortion protections afforded by Roe v. Wade for about five decades.
Collins has faced criticism for her decision to confirm Kavanaugh when she ran for reelection six years ago, but this is her first election cycle since the high court decided to allow states to adopt anti-abortion policies.
“I do not regret that (confirmation) vote,” Collins told reporters after speaking at a banking conference in Portland. “I do disagree with Justice Kavanagh’s vote. I would point out that in that decision, several Supreme Court justices, whom I supported, voted the other way.”
Collins was referring to left-leaning justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who dissented from the majority in the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling.
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Maine Democrats and reproductive rights advocates are hoping voters will hold her accountable for casting one of the decisive votes to confirm Kavanaugh, leading to the end of national abortion protections.
Thirteen states have banned abortions, while another seven restrict the procedure to either six or 12 weeks, according to KFF, the health policy organization formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation.
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“Thanks to Susan Collins’ decisive vote for Brett Kavanaugh, the freedom to choose was stripped away from millions of women,” Ben Chin, campaign manager for her Democratic opponent Graham Platner, said in a written statement.
Collins delivered a lengthy floor speech in 2018 outlining her rationale for supporting Kavanaugh, who faced accusations of sexual assault during his confirmation hearings.
She said he assured her that Roe v. Wade was “settled law” and that he respects judicial precedents.
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But four years later, Kavanaugh ended up being a deciding vote in the court’s 5-4 decision.
Platner reminded supporters of that vote last week at a rally in Bar Harbor.
“She looked him in the eyes and he told her that he would never do such a thing,” Platner said. “Well, either she lied to us or she’s a fool. Either way, you shouldn’t be a United States senator from the state of Maine.”
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On Friday, Collins said the court’s decision “has not had an impact on Maine.”
That’s because Gov. Janet Mills led Democratic lawmakers in expanding abortion rights and enacting other measures to protect providers from prosecution by other states with strict abortion bans and rules.
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In addition to highlighting her vote on Kavanaugh, Democrats and reproductive rights advocates have also called out her votes to confirm more than a dozen other judges with demonstrated records against abortion rights.
“Every time she gets the chance, Susan Collins votes to put anti-abortion judges on the bench,” Kristi Johnston, spokesperson for the Maine Democratic Party, said on Thursday, after Collins confirmed two additional judges.
“Her vote for Brett Kavanaugh helped overturn Roe and her continued support for anti-abortion judges makes it clear that she has no interest in protecting reproductive rights,” Johnston said. “Mainers know exactly where Collins stands and are ready to hold her accountable.”
Collin said it’s inappropriate to ask nominees how they may rule in certain cases.
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“When I look at a justice, I look at their qualifications, their integrity, their background and their experience in reaching a decision,” she said.
But Collins was among those who voted to confirm Katie Lang, a former lawyer for the Republican National Committee, to a lifetime judgeship. Lang had received a rare “not qualified” rating from the American Bar Association — a rating based on her never having been a lead counsel and for having less than 12 years legal experience.
Collins spokesperson Blake Kernen said the ABA rating is not the only factor. She noted the rating was not unanimous and was based on the fact she had nine years of experience.
“One thing Senator Collins does not consider is the political party of the president making the nomination,” Kernen said. “In fact, she voted for more of President (Joe) Biden’s judicial nominees than any other Republican Senator.”
Staff Writer Ethan Wolin contributed to this story.
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Tagged: abortion, brett kavanaugh, election 2026, Graham Platner, senate 2026, Susan Collins, u.s. supreme court
Randy Billings is a government watchdog and political reporter who has been the State House bureau chief since 2021. He was named the Maine Press Association’s Journalist of the Year in 2020. He joined. More by Randy Billings
