Was Susan Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh justified after Dobbs?
Collins says she does not regret voting to confirm Kavanaugh, despite opposing his Dobbs vote. Her critics argue that her confirmation judgment helped enable the ruling.
Claim in dispute
Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Kavanaugh remains justified despite his vote to overturn Roe and Casey in Dobbs.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
This case classifies responses to Collins's decision to vote for Kavanaugh's confirmation. In her October 5, 2018 floor speech (opens in a new tab), she explained how his comments on precedent informed her decision. After the Supreme Court's June 2022 Dobbs judgment (opens in a new tab), which Kavanaugh joined, she called it inconsistent with what he and Gorsuch had said (opens in a new tab) about established precedent.
In a June 12, 2026 interview (opens in a new tab), Collins said she did not regret confirming Kavanaugh but disagreed with his Dobbs vote; Ben Chin of the Graham Platner campaign criticized the confirmation as consequential for abortion rights. The interview article erroneously calls Ketanji Brown Jackson a Dobbs dissenter. The Court docket names Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan; use the Court record for the vote. Do not turn Kavanaugh's comments on precedent into an unverified private promise never to overturn Roe. Collins's separate support for abortion-codification legislation is material context.
People in this case
Susan CollinsDirectly involved
Brett KavanaughDirectly involved
Timeline
3 timeline entries on this page. Dates: October 5, 2018 to September 20, 2026
October 2018
1 event
Collins announces support for Kavanaugh confirmation
Claim
Collins set out her rationale for supporting Kavanaugh, including her assessment of his statements about long-standing precedent.
[01]Susan Collins announces vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh
Collins explains why Kavanaugh's statements about precedent, Roe, and Casey informed her confirmation vote. Read the surrounding floor remarks, not a clipped assurance.
Susan Collins announces vote to confirm Judge Kavanaughfloor speech paragraphs beginning 'There has also been considerable focus' through Roe and precedent discussion
1358 days between recorded events
June 2022
1 event
Supreme Court issues Dobbs decision
Source release
Kavanaugh joined the majority that overturned Roe and Casey. Collins said the result was inconsistent with what he and Gorsuch had told her about precedent.
[02]Supreme Court docket and judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization
Court docket establishes that Kavanaugh joined the majority overruling Roe and Casey; Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan dissented. It does not establish what Kavanaugh privately promised Collins.
Supreme Court docket and judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health OrganizationJune 24, 2022 judgment entry identifying joining and dissenting justices[03]Susan Collins statement on Supreme Court Dobbs decision
Collins says the Dobbs result conflicts with what the two justices said to her about long-standing precedent and describes legislative efforts to codify protections.
Susan Collins statement on Supreme Court Dobbs decisionparagraphs describing the abandoned precedent and Gorsuch/Kavanaugh meetings
1549 days between recorded events
September 2026
1 event
Collins revisits her Kavanaugh confirmation vote in CNN interview
Reaction
In an interview aired on CNN, Collins said Kavanaugh was qualified to serve on the Supreme Court when asked whether seating him had been a mistake. She also said she did not like his Dobbs decision. The answer revisited her June 2026 position that she did not regret the confirmation vote.
[04]CNN Newsroom transcript: Susan Collins discusses her Kavanaugh vote
Source excerpt
I believe that Kavanaugh was qualified to be on the Supreme Court.
CNN’s transcript preserves Collins’s on-the-trail interview response. She said Kavanaugh was qualified while saying she did not like his Dobbs decision. The exchange documents her current characterization of her confirmation vote; it does not establish any private assurance by Kavanaugh.
CNN Newsroom transcript: Susan Collins discusses her Kavanaugh vote · CNNAired September 20, 2026, 4–5 p.m. ET; about 16:20:01 ET, Collins answers Manu Raju’s question about her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Kavanaugh remains justified despite his vote to overturn Roe and Casey in Dobbs.
Sources (3)
- Susan Collins announces vote to confirm Judge Kavanaughfloor speech paragraphs beginning 'There has also been considerable focus' through Roe and precedent discussion
- Susan Collins statement on Supreme Court Dobbs decisionparagraphs describing the abandoned precedent and Gorsuch/Kavanaugh meetings
- Susan Collins doesn't regret putting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Courtparagraphs after 'PORTLAND' quoting Collins and Graham Platner campaign
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 2. Dates: June 12, 2026
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
1 response on this page
Ben Chin "Thanks to Susan Collins’ decisive vote for Brett Kavanaugh, the freedom to choose was stripped away from millions of women"
Open the original interview (opens in a new tab)Susan Collins doesn't regret putting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Courtparagraphs after 'PORTLAND' quoting Collins and Graham Platner campaignRead the original text (opens in a new tab)Supreme Court docket and judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health OrganizationJune 24, 2022 judgment entry identifying joining and dissenting justicesCondemnedResponding to: Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Kavanaugh remains justified despite his vote to overturn Roe and Casey in Dobbs.
Why this label?
Condemns the same confirmation vote that Collins defended; this is an attributed campaign statement.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
A rival campaign manager criticized Collins's vote for Kavanaugh for its effect on national abortion rights.
Role at the time: Graham Platner campaign manager
Before the statement
The Press Herald reported Collins's statement that she did not regret confirming Kavanaugh.
After the statement
Chin's statement addressed the nationwide consequences of Dobbs; Collins separately discussed Maine's state protections.
Susan Collins doesn't regret putting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Courtparagraphs after 'PORTLAND' quoting Collins and Graham Platner campaignSupreme Court docket and judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health OrganizationJune 24, 2022 judgment entry identifying joining and dissenting justices
Sources
(5)
Official statement
Susan Collins announces vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh
Relevant passage: floor speech paragraphs beginning 'There has also been considerable focus' through Roe and precedent discussion
About this source
Collins explains why Kavanaugh's statements about precedent, Roe, and Casey informed her confirmation vote. Read the surrounding floor remarks, not a clipped assurance.
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
CNN Newsroom transcript: Susan Collins discusses her Kavanaugh vote
Relevant passage: Aired September 20, 2026, 4–5 p.m. ET; about 16:20:01 ET, Collins answers Manu Raju’s question about her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh.
Excerpt
"I believe that Kavanaugh was qualified to be on the Supreme Court."
About this source
CNN’s transcript preserves Collins’s on-the-trail interview response. She said Kavanaugh was qualified while saying she did not like his Dobbs decision. The exchange documents her current characterization of her confirmation vote; it does not establish any private assurance by Kavanaugh.
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
Susan Collins doesn't regret putting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court
Relevant passage: paragraphs after 'PORTLAND' quoting Collins and Graham Platner campaign
About this source
Direct reporter interview quotes Collins defending her 2018 confirmation vote while disagreeing with Dobbs, and records campaign criticism. Article misidentifies Jackson as a Dobbs dissenter; use Supreme Court docket for the vote.
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Supreme Court docket and judgment in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization
Relevant passage: June 24, 2022 judgment entry identifying joining and dissenting justices
About this source
Court docket establishes that Kavanaugh joined the majority overruling Roe and Casey; Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan dissented. It does not establish what Kavanaugh privately promised Collins.
- Published
- Accessed
Official statement
Susan Collins statement on Supreme Court Dobbs decision
Relevant passage: paragraphs describing the abandoned precedent and Gorsuch/Kavanaugh meetings
About this source
Collins says the Dobbs result conflicts with what the two justices said to her about long-standing precedent and describes legislative efforts to codify protections.
- Published
- Accessed