Collins denies Platner's accusation about her Kavanaugh vote
Susan CollinsU.S. senator from Maine
Susan Collins, asked about Graham Platner's accusation that she lied to Mainers about protecting abortion rights because of her Kavanaugh vote, said it was obviously not true and that the people of Maine know her well.
“Well, that's obviously not true. The people of Maine know me well and I know them well.”
Original video
Other statements by Susan Collins in this case
- Collins defends Kavanaugh confirmation voteLater: Defended or excused
- Collins tells Fox News Roe would have fallen with or without KavanaughLater: Minimized
- Collins tells CNN she judged Kavanaugh on his qualificationsLater: Defended or excused
Where this statement fits
Was Susan Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh justified after Dobbs?
In 2018 Susan Collins supported Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation, citing his discussion of precedent and Roe v. Wade. He joined the 2022 Dobbs opinion overruling Roe, which Collins said conflicted with what he had told her about long-standing precedent. In June 2026 she said she did not regret the confirmation vote while disagreeing with his Dobbs vote. Her critics argue that the confirmation enabled the loss of nationwide abortion protections.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Nineteen-second recording published June 10, 2026. The description identifies Platner and Kavanaugh where automated captions misrender their names.
Before the quotation
A reporter asked Collins on June 10 about Platner's primary-night speech, specifically his accusation about her Kavanaugh vote and abortion rights.
After the quotation
Platner had won the Democratic nomination on June 9 and will face Collins in November.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The case asks whether Collins's 2018 vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh was justified after Dobbs. Asked about Graham Platner's primary-night accusation that she lied to Mainers about protecting abortion rights, Collins said it was obviously not true. This is a flat denial of the dishonesty charge attached to the vote, so Denied fits. Defended or excused is the closest competing label; it loses because in this answer she does not argue that the vote itself was justified.
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More from this case
Read the full caseFried challenges Collins's argument about Kavanaugh's Dobbs vote
“Thus it was a five person majority without the Chief Justice that ended a federal right to abortion.”Read statement
Jackson asks whether Collins should be trusted to pick the next justice
“Would you trust her to pick the next Supreme Court justice?”Read statement
Troy Jackson says Collins's Kavanaugh vote shows she is not pro-choice
“Let's put this idea that Susan Collins is pro-choice, you know, completely behind us.”Read statement
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- Collins denies Platner's accusation about her Kavanaugh vote
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/4950-susan-collins-asked-about-graham-platner-s-accusation
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The Dispute Index. "Collins denies Platner's accusation about her Kavanaugh vote". First published: 2026-10-06. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/events/4950-susan-collins-asked-about-graham-platner-s-accusation