In state’s where Republican Senators have significant Democratic voters?
There could be trouble for them supporting Donald Trump’s actions…
The near party-line votes to acquit Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress are most likely to impact the reelection bids for Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.), who were already considered two of the most vulnerable senators heading into November.
Collins has presented herself to voters as an independent, but that branding took a hit Wednesday when Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) cast the only Republican vote to remove Trump from office.
Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon, Collins’s Democratic challenger, quickly seized on Wednesday’s vote to tie her opponent to Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
“Her decision to acquit despite the case against the president and without hearing more of the facts again reveals her commitment to standing with Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump,” Gideon said in a statement.
Emily’s List, a pro-Democratic PAC, has since sent out several fundraising emails targeting Collins and other vulnerable GOP incumbents.
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In Arizona, McSally has taken criticism from former allies for repeatedly evading questions from reporters before the Senate trial on where she stood on the question of subpoenaing new evidence.
The Eastern Arizona Courier, which endorsed McSally’s appointment to the Senate after she lost her 2018 Senate race to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), scolded her for calling a CNN reporter a “liberal hack” when the journalist asked her about considering new evidence.
“It’s reasonable to disagree with policy. What is not reasonable is name-calling like a third-grader on the playground,” the paper wrote in an editorial.
But it’s far from a sure bet that voters will care about impeachment nine months from now, particularly since there isn’t much evidence the trial captured the attention of Americans the way it riveted Washington and much of the media.
McConnell on Wednesday downplayed the impact of the impeachment trial on the 2020 battle for the Senate….