Sen. Susan Collins’ interview with Politico.com last week included this gem of a quote in reference to Sara Gideon:

“I grew up in Caribou, I’ve lived in Bangor for 26 years. My family’s been in Maine for generations. She’s been in Maine for about 15 years and lives in Freeport.”

My family’s heard this sentiment intermittently since moving to the 1st Congressional District in 1986, but it’s a bit jarring to understand that our senator judges her constituents by where they live in the state and where their grandparents were born.

It’s hard not to conclude that the reason Sen. Collins has been so willing to tolerate the nativism emanating from the president, coursing through her party, and tearing this country apart is surprisingly simple: she agrees with it.

Thomas Schenck
Kennebunk