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Common Ground Scorecard for Susan Collins

U.S. Senate

Susan Collins (ME - R)

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Whenever a bipartisan group of senators emerges to hash out a compromise on a tricky matter, more often than not Susan Collins is in its midst. The most senior Republican woman in the Senate, Collins “is the person the Democrats turn to almost immediately when they want to try to get bipartisan support on legislation,” Rutgers University historian Ross Baker said. After college graduation, Collins came to Washington and went to work for her state’s Republican representative and then Sen. Bill Cohen. Collins made her first run for office in 1994, campaigning to be governor of Maine.

(Bloomberg Government biography of Susan Collins)

Learn what Susan Collins says about finding common ground

Up for Reelection in 2026

Top Organizations and Groups

  • Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  • Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
  • Senate Committee on Appropriations
  • Senate Special Committee on Aging

Common Ground Score is

70
Champion

Based on a scale of 0-100, below is a breakdown of the Common Ground Score:

Official PerformanceMAX 30
30
Personal ActionsMAX 30
10
CommunicationsMAX 20
20
CommitmentsMAX 20
0
BONUS: Outstanding Common GrounderMAX 10
10

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Common Ground Score History for Susan Collins

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Official Performance Commentary

Maximum credit for Official Performance, highest Senate score on the Lugar Bipartisan Index.

Personal Actions Commentary

Co-chair of the Senate Common Sense Coalition.

Communications Commentary

"Unyielding adherence to an extreme position is easy. It is the hard work of bringing people together to find common ground that requires determination, intellect, and courage."

Commitments Commentary

The politician has not affirmed the commitments.

Outstanding Commmon Grounder Commentary

Champions common ground as co-chair of the Senate Common Sense Coalition and by focusing national television interviews on the pursuit of common ground. Teamed up with Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen for the Anheuser-Busch Brew Across America Congressional Brewing Competition.

What are the score ranges?

  • Champion
  • Well Above Average
  • Somewhat Above Average
  • Average
  • Somewhat Below Average
  • Well Below Average

Insufficient Data to Score

For candidates without congressional or gubernatorial service, Official Performance points are a predictive estimate using statistical modeling.

Personal Actions points can be provisionally awarded for a commitment to take the action(s) within the first six months of office, if elected.

Maverick Matrix for Susan Collins

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Constituent Partisan Intensity
Common Ground Score
Learn More About the Maverick Matrix