BANGOR, Maine (AP) - Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Wednesday she’s not committing on whether she will run for governor in 2018.
Collins made the comments during an appearance on a Maine Public radio show. When asked if she was considering a run, she said she’s “not ruling it in and not ruling it out.”
Collins has served as a U.S. senator from Maine since 1997. She said during the radio appearance that many people have been encouraging her to run for governor and she is “looking at how I could best serve the people of Maine.”
Republican Gov. Paul LePage was elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. He can’t run for a third term.
Collins is thought of as a moderate Republican in the Senate, and she has questioned some of Republican President Donald Trump’s actions. Her recent moves have included opposing the confirmation of Education Secretary Betsy Devos and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt.
Several candidates have indicated an interest in running for governor next year. They include former Maine Senate president Justin Alfond for the Democrats and former Maine Republican Party chairman Rick Bennett for the GOP.
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