'Sit this one out': Maine Sen. Susan Collins hit by blowback over her Trump ballot outrage

A statement from Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on X expressing outrage that Maine's secretary of state has banished Donald Trump from the 2024 election ballot was not well received from critics — who noted her history of normally straddling meaningful controversies.

Shortly after Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced that, after considerable investigation, she believes the former president engaged in the insurrection on Jan 6, making him ineligible under the 14th Amendment, Collins expressed her dismay.

"Maine voters should decide who wins the election – not a Secretary of State chosen by the Legislature," she protested. "The Secretary of State’s decision would deny thousands of Mainers the opportunity to vote for the candidate of their choice, and it should be overturned."

That led to an onslaught of critics noting she has been critical of Trump's actions surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection and, in an official statement issued over a year afterward, wrote, “President Trump had stoked discontent with a steady barrage of false claims that the election had been stolen from him."

"The allegedly responsible officials were denigrated, scorned, and ridiculed by the President, with the predictable result that his supporters viewed any official that they perceived to be an obstacle to President Trump’s reelection as an enemy of their cause. That set the stage for the storming of the Capitol for the first time in more than 200 years."

ALSO READ: Jim Jordan and James Comer have a new judicial plan: Protect GOP megadonors at all costs

With that in mind, one Collins critic suggested, "You hold some responsibility for us being here, so sit this one out, Susan."

Political commentator Keith Olbermann asked, "I want to vote for Bill Clinton again. So by your logic, I can — right?"

Recalling Collins' memorable defense of Trump as she voted against him, saying he had "learned his lesson," Republicans Against Trump asked, "Do you think Trump finally learned his lesson?"

"You took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. The states of Maine and Colorado are abiding by the U.S. Constitution. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment is very clear," Dianne Callahan lectured her.

"My question to you is this: If our founding fathers saw the possibility of a man like Trump failing to cede power and they thoughtfully used the words 'engaged in insurrection or rebellion' against the United States, why should those directions not be followed?"

The Fact Checker recalled: "CONCLUSION: This is Susan Collins. She's that woman from Maine who said that Donald Trump would learn his lesson from his 1st impeachment. And Trump then got impeached again. Then charged with 91 felonies. So... you know... there's that."

"Sen Collins was wrong about Kavanaugh and it cost women their bodily autonomy. Sen Collins was wrong about Trump and it resulted in an insurrection. She is the last person to be talking about anyone's choice," Dave Vote Blue wrote.

"Geez, you sure turned out to be a terrible person," Kathi Kruse wrote.

The Lincoln Project's Jeff Timmer summed Collins' latest post thusly: