Fact Check: Did Susan Collins side with Trump on 95% of Senate votes in 2025?
WASHINGTON, DC: A political claim is drawing attention online after Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner accused Sen Susan Collins of voting with President Donald Trump 95% of the time.
The allegation challenges Collins' long-standing reputation as a moderate Republican and one of the Senate's most bipartisan lawmakers. While Collins has supported many of Trump's positions, she has also broken with him on several high-profile issues and frequently worked across party lines. So how accurate is the 95% figure?
Claim: Graham Platner says Susan Collins sided with Trump on 95% of Senate votes in 2025
Susan Collins has long promoted herself as a bipartisan and independent-minded lawmaker, frequently highlighting her willingness to work across party lines.
In fact, the word "bipartisan" appears thousands of times on her official Senate website. However, her Democratic challenger, Graham Platner, argues that Collins' voting record tells a different story.
During his June 9 Senate primary victory speech, Platner accused Collins of acting as a reliable ally of President Donald Trump despite her moderate image.
"If you are an independent voice, why do you vote with Donald Trump 95% of the time?" he asked.
The criticism echoes a broader argument from Collins' opponents, who contend that while she often emphasizes bipartisanship, her voting record aligns with Trump's positions on the vast majority of key Senate votes.
The allegation has fueled debate over whether Collins remains the independent Republican she portrays herself to be or has become increasingly aligned with her party's leadership.
Fact Check: Nonpartisan analysis shows Collins backed Trump's position on about 94.6% of votes
A nonpartisan analysis by CQ Roll Call found that Collins voted in line with President Donald Trump's position about 94.6% of the time in 2025, making the claim that she supported him 95% of the time largely accurate.
However, that figure does not tell the full story. Collins has broken with Trump on several major issues. In 2025, she was one of only three Republican senators to vote against Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' citing concerns about its impact on Medicaid, rural hospitals, and low-income families.
She also opposed some administration spending proposals and supported a resolution calling for the removal of US forces from hostilities against Iran.
Collins has challenged Trump in the past as well. After the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, she voted to convict him during his second impeachment trial, saying his actions disrupted the peaceful transfer of power.
Even so, Collins voted with Trump less often than almost every other Republican senator in 2025. Only Senators Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski opposed Trump's positions more frequently. Most Republican senators backed Trump's position on every vote included in the CQ Roll Call analysis.
Because the 95% figure is based on a respected nonpartisan analysis but leaves out Collins' notable disagreements with Trump, the claim is best rated Mostly True.
