GOP Senator Susan Collins Faces Tough Re-election Fight in Maine.
BERMAN: So, this morning, one of the most vulnerable Senate incumbents in the country, Republican Susan Collins of Maine. This was already one of the most closely watched races in the country. But now she's about to face the very same issue that may be hurting her with some voters. The decision on a Trump nominee for the Supreme Court. Gary Tuchman got to go to Maine, lucky man and joins us now live from Bangor. Great to see you, Gary.</s>GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, nice to see you, too. Susan Collins has been a U.S. senator since Bill Clinton was president, a long time. She's hoping to win a fifth term, but she is in a fight of her political life.</s>TUCHMAN (voice-over): Susan Collins has been a U.S. senator for almost a quarter century. The Republican senior senator from Maine bills herself as the Senate's most bipartisan member. A reputation that has helped her win re-election in a state where there are more Democrats and even more independents than there are Republicans.</s>SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R-ME): There is no one who has worked harder for the people of Maine, all the people of Maine, and delivered more to them than I have.</s>TUCHMAN: But one thing she helped deliver is proving politically troublesome for her. Susan Collins helped deliver a Supreme Court seat to Brett Kavanaugh in 2018.</s>COLLINS: I will vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh.</s>TUCHMAN: She voted to confirm despite sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh from his high school days. Collins' Democratic opponent is the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.</s>REP. SARA GIDEON (D-ME): My name is Sara Gideon.</s>TUCHMAN: At this campaign event in the small town of Raymond, Maine, listen to what this man tells Gideon.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I never would vote for Susan after she voted for Kavanaugh.</s>TUCHMAN: In the streets of Maine's largest city, Portland, and in the scenic small towns, Kavanaugh's name comes up a lot.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ever since the Brett Kavanaugh issue or the Brett Kavanaugh vote, I felt like she's not listening to what the people of Maine want anymore.</s>TUCHMAN: How did you feel when Susan Collins voted for Kavanaugh to be on the Supreme Court?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like she's not listening to what people actually want.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a Democrat, but I have always voted for Susan Collins until this year. She has just -- she's just capitulated.</s>TUCHMAN (on camera): Susan Collins has been a re-election juggernaut. She has won her three Senate re-election bids handily, the last one in 2014 and by about 37 percentage points. But this race against Sara Gideon is a whole different ball game. (voice-over): The most recent "New York Times"-Siena College poll conducted just before Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died shows Sara Gideon with 49 percent and Susan Collins with 44 percent. The results are within the poll's margin of error. Collins is polling better though than President Trump is in the state. For some voters, the Trump factor is too much.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's just in Trump's pocket. She's scared of him as so many people are.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We used to vote for Collins, but I think she's too much of a Trumpee right at the moment.</s>TUCHMAN: Meanwhile, who will you be voting for in the Senate election?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Susan Collins, definitely.</s>TUCHMAN: Among voters who enthusiastically support Senator Collins, a concern they often voice shows the political tight-rope she has to walk.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, I think she ought to be more cooperative with President Trump.</s>TUCHMAN: This man says Senator Collins should --</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take more of a conservative stance on issues and vote the conservative position, especially with the upcoming vote on our new incoming Supreme Court Justice.</s>TUCHMAN: Indeed, Senator Collins announced, she would vote against the Trump Supreme Court nominee if the vote takes place before election day. Does Gideon give Collins any credit for that type of bipartisanship?</s>GIDEON: I'm sorry, I cannot say that Susan Collins has stood up for what is right.</s>TUCHMAN: During a debate earlier this month --</s>COLLINS: I have always put the people of Maine first, and I always will.</s>TUCHMAN: Completely different opinions which the people of Maine will have to consider.</s>TUCHMAN: Now, yesterday, President Trump happened to talk about Maine. He said, quote, "I'm doing very well in Maine. You've seen the numbers." Well, we have seen the numbers and it's kind of the opposite. He is not doing very well in the polls in Maine. It's looking dim for him. Joe Biden is in front of the polls substantially, Susan Collins is in a fight here, but she is as I mentioned, doing much better in this state than President Trump is. Right now, we're in the town of Bangor, Susan Collins will be campaigning later this morning, a smaller town just north of here. John?</s>BERMAN: All right, Gary Tuchman, thanks so much for being with us, giving us an update again on one of the most closely-watched races in the country to be sure. NEW DAY continues right now.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president telling the country he will not accept the results of the election if he loses. That he will throw out some number of ballots. We can't throw them out if he won't go peacefully.</s>TRUMP: We want to make sure the election is honest. And I'm not sure that it can be.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be a peaceful transition, no matter what anybody says.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The virus is raging in these places, and it's not going to go down unless we do things differently.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to reassure you and the American people, politics will play no role whatsoever in the approval of a vaccine.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The four companies to reveal their strategy for testing a vaccine. It's not a test. It's basically a rubber stamp.</s>CAMEROTA: Good morning everyone, welcome to our viewers in the United States and all around the world, this is NEW DAY, it's Friday, John.</s>BERMAN: And we're getting a little bit punchy --</s>CAMEROTA: So crowded. So this morning, election officials, the head of the Postal Service, the Senate and the director of the FBI all feel the need to reassure Americans about the integrity of our voting system after alarming claims by President Trump.</s>CHRIS WRAY, DIRECTOR, FBI: Now, we have not seen historically any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election whether it's by mail or otherwise.</s>CAMEROTA: The United States Senate even found it necessary after the president's comments to hold a vote to uphold a peaceful transfer of power.