Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski Are Democrats’ New Best Friends

When the new Senate convenes in January, Democrats are going to have to rely on two Republican members, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, if they want to block parts of Donald Trump’s agenda.
Trump will return to the White House after securing 295 Electoral College votes this week in his race against Vice President Kamala Harris. Republicans have also retaken control of the Senate, flipping seats in Montana and Ohio, although several races remained too close to call on Thursday morning.
The House of Representatives remains a question mark, as dozens of races are yet to be called—but whichever party clinches control is almost certain to have a very narrow majority.
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Collins and Murkowski are the two most moderate Republicans in the Senate and are likely to take on a key legislative role when Trump takes power—just as they did in 2017, when they emerged as two of the GOP’s most vocal Trump critics.
Both senators have broken from other Republicans on issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. Given the fact that the Senate needs 60 votes to pass any legislation—and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the filibuster will stand—Republicans will need support from Collins and Murkowski, as well as a handful of moderate Democrats, to pass any legislation.
Tammy Vigil, a senior associate dean at Boston University’s College of Communication, told Newsweek that Collins and Murkowski’s influence will depend on the results of those uncalled Senate races.
“The question will be whether or not the women are able to temper the perspectives of other Republican senators. Otherwise, they will be similar to Sinema and Manchin—effective at holding things up on occasion but not powerful enough to impact the overall intent of their party,” Vigil said. She was referring to Senators Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Republicans need to consider how much of a “mandate” they have after the election results because the midterms “will be here sooner than they might imagine,” Vigil said.
The 2018 midterms during Trump’s first term saw a strong performance from Democrats. His unpopularity at the time allowed them to retake control of the House, although the GOP held on to the Senate because Democrats were defending seats in heavily Republican states.
“The electorate claimed they voted Republican now because of economic issues. If the GOP members are smart, that is where they will focus their actions and stay away from the social issues,” Vigil said.
Grant Davis Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University, told Newsweek Collins and Murkowski will be “very critical for legislation.”
“The Republicans will need to get to 60, unless they are operating under reconciliation, but there are limits on how much that’s new can be folded into that path. In order to get to 60, Republicans will definitely need their votes,” he said.
He said the Republicans will likely be focusing on the economy, as exit polls showed it was a top concern for voters, as well as border security. Collins and Murkowski may be willing to back efforts on the border so long as they “do not become too punitive.”
History shows they may also be willing to vote against some Trump nominees, though they may need other Republicans to join them to be successful, depending on the size of the GOP’s Senate majority.
In 2017, Collins and Murkowski voted against Trump’s education secretary nominee, Betsy DeVos. In remarks on the Senate floor, Collins raised questions about whether DeVos fully appreciated “that the secretary of education’s primary focus must be on helping states and communities, parents, teachers, school board members and administrators strengthen our public schools.”
She went on: “While it is unrealistic and unfair to expect a nominee to know the details of all the programs under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education, I am troubled and surprised by Mrs. DeVos’ apparent lack of familiarity with the landmark 1975 law, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, known as IDEA, that guarantees a free and appropriate education to children with special needs.”
Collins and Murkowski have not shied away from criticizing Trump. Both voted to convict him in his Senate impeachment trial following the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Neither endorsed his campaign this year.
While Collins and Murkowski have been viewed as the most moderate Republicans, a few other Republicans could be a check on Trump. Senator Todd Young of Indiana did not support Trump’s campaign, and Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana also voted to convict Trump.
GOP Senator-elect John Curtis of Utah, a moderate who has focused on climate policy, has been critical of Trump at times, beating a Trump-supported conservative in the Senate primary. He is replacing Senator Mitt Romney, a leading Trump foe in the party.
Notably, Collins is up for reelection in 2026, though she has not said whether she plans to run. Although she has performed well in the past in Maine, a Democratic-leaning state, 2020 was her weakest performance yet. She will likely be a top target for Democrats, who will be banking on a “blue wave” in two years.