Senator Susan Collins of Maine has announced she will vote against confirming Todd Blanche as Attorney General, dealing a blow to Republican leadership as the Senate works to push through one of President Trump’s most scrutinized nominees.
Collins made the announcement Tuesday, citing what she described as the increasing politicization of the Department of Justice under the Trump Administration. “While I believe Mr. Blanche is a capable lawyer, the Department of Justice has become increasingly political,” she wrote on X.
The Maine senator laid out a specific list of grievances. She said Blanche approved an order shielding the President, his sons, and the family business from IRS audits, protections she noted are unavailable to ordinary American taxpayers. She also pointed to his approval of a $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund and a promise made to an anti-abortion organization to seek a nationwide prohibition on mailing abortion medication.
Collins also took aim at the attempted indictment of Democratic Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin over videos encouraging resistance to unlawful orders, calling the videos “ill-advised, but constitutionally protected.” She further noted that more than 1,200 former DOJ employees have opposed Blanche’s nomination.
It is worth noting that Collins voted to confirm Merrick Garland as Biden’s Attorney General, but raised no similar concerns about politicization during an administration that pursued criminal charges against its main political rival.
As originally reported, Blanche’s path through the Senate Judiciary Committee was rocky from the start. Confirmation hearings were held on July 15 and 16, 2026, with Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn raising concerns about a settlement between the DOJ and Trump tied to a lawsuit Trump filed against the IRS.
That settlement included a $1.776 billion anti-weaponization fund meant to compensate people allegedly subjected to politically motivated prosecutions under the Biden Administration, including January 6 defendants, pro-life activists, and other conservative individuals.
After extended negotiations, Tillis and Cornyn reached an agreement with the administration over the weekend and agreed to advance Blanche’s nomination out of committee.
Collins’ opposition tightens the margin considerably. As of now, no other Republican senators have firmly announced opposition. Senator John Curtis of Utah, previously seen as a potential holdout, confirmed he would vote in favor. Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana have raised questions about Blanche’s record but have stopped short of declaring how they will vote, leaving the final outcome still in question.