Sen. Susan Collins: Will She Stay Or Will She Go? The Torn Moderate Republican Plans Her Future

Sen. Susan Collins said her committee work and seniority “really matter” — but she is tantalized by the opportunity to help the less prosperous parts of Maine as governor. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo

Will she stay or will she go? Maine Senator Susan Collins admits to being very torn over her pending decision to remain as the moderate Republican Senator or run for governor. North Dakota Democrat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp is begging her not to do it. Leave the Senate that is. 

Collins admitted to Politico that the buzz about her prolonged indecision is "accurate". After hoping to finalize her decision by the end of September, Collins is not shooting for a mid-October deadline. 

“Given the contentious environment in Washington right now, my voice and vote matter a great deal,” Collins said. Her role in derailing attempts to end Obamacare are evidence of her power. “On the other hand, if I were fortunate enough to be elected governor, I could work more directly on job creation.”

Maine's other senator Independent Angus King is begging Collins to stay in the Senate. So are moderate Democrats. If Democratic voters are smart, they should be begging Collins to stay as well. 

GOP Congressman Blake Farenthold Didn't Wear His Ducky PJs To Challenge Sen. Collins, Murkowski & Capito To A Duel Over Obamacare Repeal

Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold (right in 2014) says that if three Republican women senators -- Collins, Murkowski, and Capito -- were men, he would challenge them to a duel for their actions in stopping the repeal of Obamacare.

What do you think? I just suggested to my W. VA Dem friends, who are doing such a bang-up job at organizing in Trump country, that they respond to the big shot Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold, who says if the three Republican women Senators were men, he would challenge them to duels -- and presumably be the last man standing, writes the Texas Tribune.

If you remember, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Shelley Moore Capito of W. Va brought the Senate health care strategy to a screeching halt last week. Interviewed by local Corpus Christi radio host Bob Jones on Friday, Farenthold said: "Some of the people that are opposed to this, there are female senators from the Northeast... If it was a guy from South Texas, I might ask him to step outside and settle this Aaron Burr-style." 

I'm not sure the way to repeal Obamacare is by holding a gun to people's heads, but we all know gunslingers get their way in Texas. Apparently, Congressman Farenthold is a colorful Texan -- as many are -- having been charged with sexual harassment in 2014, writes ProgressTexas. I'll bet the 3 Republican women senators are just shaking in their high heels right now, reading about Farenthold's desire to shoot them dead..

If Texas Republican men hadn't raised maternal death rates in the state to third-world country levels, I could laugh over this nonsense. But you are looking at the dudes who make it their business to control the lives, bodies and most every move of Texas women -- and American women nationwide. This East coast elitist is not impressed. Gross!

At least in W. Va, my friends might take him out without firing a shot, given how strategic and successful they are at organizing. Brains over brawn, a true battle of the sexes, and may the ladies take out Texas Congressman Blake Farenthold! ~ Anne