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Why didn't Susan Collins vote for Amy Barrett? Angry Republicans want Sara Gideon to replace Maine senator

On Monday, October 26, when the voting took place, Collins didn't vote in favour of Barrett, but she was still confirmed by a 52-48 majority. Many users called her out for making 'zero difference'

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine had announced that she would be voting against the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. On Monday, October 26, when the voting took place Collins didn't vote in favour of Barrett, but she was still confirmed by a 52-48 vote.

Collins who was the only Republican Senator to vote against Barrett. She said in statement released on Sunday, October 25, "Prior to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, I stated that should a vacancy on the Supreme Court arise, the Senate should follow the precedent set four years ago and not vote on a nominee prior to the presidential election."

She added: “Because this vote is occurring prior to the election, I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.” Collins said in her statement that her vote against confirming Barrett t is not meant as a slight against the jurist but instead is a matter of "being fair and consistent".

Collin's statement seemed like a direct hit at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s stance to move forward with confirming Coney Barrett with just over a week to go before the presidential election, which is taking place on November 3. McConnell has drawn widespread criticism from Democrats and has been labelled a hypocrite based on the treatment of former President Barack Obamas Supreme Court nominee and DC Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Merrick Garland.

"Sen Collins has never cast a consequential vote against a controversial Trump judicial nominee, and that includes tonight's vote,” Democratic Senate candidate Sara Gideon said. Gideon also pointed out that Collins previously voted to confirm Barrett three years ago as a federal judge despite her views on abortion rights and the Affordable Care Act.

"For a lifetime appointment to the Court of Appeals, and that was after knowing where the judge stood both on Roe v Wade, calling it 'barbaric', also on the ACA, she called the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the ACA quote unquote 'illegitimate'," Gideon said. "Right now, the only way I hear this framed is in the context of Democrats versus Republicans and how each party one ups the other or who is to blame. We need to move away from that,” Gideon said.

As soon as her decision came to light, people started reacting to it, as one Internet user said, "Susan Collins is another one that should have been with us and instead she is going to be out altogether. It doesn't seem to matter to them that AMERICANS will vote THEM out. They just lost their last leg of this race! #VoteHimOut2020."

Hoping to vote out every Republican, another one wrote, "And Susan Collins. She only voted no because she knew her no vote made zero difference for Barrett. Collins is trying to save her seat. Vote every Republican out of office."

Many Twitter users blatantly posted about how Sara Gideon should replace her. "Get Susan Collins out and vote for @SaraGideon! #MondaySenateBlueWave," one tweet read and another said, "SUSAN COLLINS was the only Republican to vote no on Amy Barrett's confirmation. She was not courageous. The only reason she did this was to save her re-election but it's too little too late. VOTE FOR HER OPPONENT SARA GIDEON ATTN MAINE VOTERS. Please share TY."

A third user posted, "Sen. Susan Collins may have played politics by voting no on tonight’s Supreme Court nomination, but REMEMBER THIS: she's rubber-stamped 181 far-right nominees, including Amy Coney Barrett. That’s why @SaraGideon is going to defeat her."

While one congratulated Collins and wrote, "Congratulations to Susan Collins for growing a spine; I'm sure that wasn't easy after all these years," another said, "Guaranteed if Susan Collins wasn’t seeking re-election this year (or her vote was needed) she would’ve voted to confirm Justice Barrett."

Lincoln Project also launched an attack against Collins and wrote, "Susan Collins could have stood up for us. But she's not with us. She's with them," to which an Internet user replied saying, "Why everyone keeps thinking or hoping Susan Collins would ever do the right thing is beyond me."