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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 8 october 2018

Susan Rice considering 2020

challenge to Collins in Maine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Su- to confirm Brett Kavana- Collins.
san Rice, who was Presi- ugh to the Supreme Court, She then seemed to walk it
dent Barack Obama's na- deeply disappointing those back, saying she was "not
tional security adviser, said opposed to his nomination. making any announce-
Sunday she'll decide after Speaking in New York dur- ments."
next month's midterm elec- ing The New Yorker Festival, Collins questioned Rice's
tions whether to run for the Rice said Collins "put party connection to Maine, say-
Senate from Maine in 2020 and politics over her own ing Sunday on CNN's "State
In this July 7, 2016, file photo, then-National Security Adviser Su- and try to unseat Republi- stated principles" of sup- of the Union" that although
san Rice follows then-President Barack Obama across the South can Sen. Susan Collins. porting equal rights and Rice's family has a home in
Lawn of the White House in Washington, to board Marine One. Collins cast a deciding vote legalized abortion. "I think Maine, "she doesn't live in
Associated Press
in a way that I really regret the state of Maine. Every-
saying, she has betrayed body knows that."
women across this coun- Rice, however, said her
try," Rice said. "ties to Maine are long and
Kavanaugh's confirmation deep." During Sunday's ap-
was stalled by accusations pearance, she described
of sexual misconduct when her grandparents' arrival in
he was in high school and the state from Jamaica in
college, but Collins and 1912, her yearly summer vis-
others said they were won its that began in childhood
over by his forceful deni- and the home she now
als and a supplemental FBI owns. "The last 20 so years
report they say produced I've been a home owner
no evidence corroborating in the state of Maine, so it's
the claims. not completely crazy," she
"What moved me ... was a said.
sense of outrage and frus- Collins returned to Maine
tration that somebody who late Saturday after Kavana-
fashions herself a moder- ugh was sworn into office.
ate centrist, and some- She said Sunday that de-
body who cares for equal spite the presence of pro-
rights and LGBT rights and testers outside her home in
Roe v Wade and all of this Bangor, the response from
stuff, could in a very politi- Mainers has been "over-
cal fashion not just decide whelmingly positive."
to vote for Kavanaugh but People angry over her vote
do it in a fashion that was have vowed to make her
quite dismissive of the con- pay a political price. A
cerns of many Americans crowdsourcing group says
and many Mainers," Rice it has secured pledges of
said. "So it was on that basis more than $3 million for her
that I decided I would think opponent in 2020.
about it." Rice, who also served as
Kavanaugh's ascendance the U.S. ambassador to
to the Supreme Court now the United Nations under
gives conservatives a work- Obama, said she appreci-
ing majority that could re- ated the enthusiasm about
strict abortion rights and her potential run, but said
halt the expansion of the people who are angry
rights of LGBT people. about Kavanaugh should
Rice, a Democrat, had hint- focus on the midterm elec-
ed her interest in a Senate tions.
run in a one-word tweet on "My bottom line is I'm go-
Friday, responding "me" to ing to give it due consider-
an open question about ation, after the midterms,"
who wanted to run against she said.q