Manchin Campaigns With Collins in Maine Senate Race

Former Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin campaigned with Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine on Wednesday, October 21, as she seeks a sixth term in a closely watched Senate race against Democrat Troy Jackson. The Collins campaign had confirmed the planned appearances in Lewiston and Norway. Manchin, who became an independent before retiring from Congress, has endorsed Collins and defended her record as independent of President Donald Trump. At a Lewiston appearance, Manchin praised Collins’s willingness to break with her party and said losing her would mean losing the soul of the Senate. Collins said she and Manchin had participated in every bipartisan bill that became law during their time serving together. Their alliance gives Collins a former Democratic colleague’s support as she seeks to persuade voters that she is not aligned with Trump on every issue. Manchin told Semafor that Collins was “not a Trump senator,” rejecting Democrats’ characterization of her as a reliable supporter of the president. That is Manchin’s assessment of Collins, not an independently established description of her record. Collins has at times opposed Trump and Republican priorities, including voting...