Why Senator Collins would be an ideal running mate with Donald Trump

Assuming that Donald Trump becomes the Republican Party’s nominee for President, he will surely be under enormous pressure from various sides to select a running mate to complement and enhance his candidacy.  Senator Susan Collins would make an ideal Vice Presidential nominee.

Back in 1984 Democratic Presidential candidate Walter Mondale chose New York Congresswomen Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate, the first time that a major party had put a woman on the national ticket. The selection of Senator Collins would do the same for the Republican Party.

1) Senator Collins is widely popular in Maine but also elsewhere in New England for her hard work, knowledge of the issues, honesty, and service to her constituents.

2) Collins’ Senate record of never missing a vote is even more impressive than that of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who almost never shows up to vote.(A possible place in the Guinness Book of Records for Marco?)

3) Collins has as strong a commitment to making business success her primary objective as does Trump. Her embrace of the elimination of the inheritance tax from her first days in office reflects this top priority, as does her fervent opposition in recent years to raising the minimum wage, lest small businesses in particular allegedly be hurt. Recall that she had her fellow Republican, Bangor School Supt. Betsy Webb, testify before Congress a year or two ago about the negative impact on public K-12 education of giving lots of low paid employees a pay raise (and limiting their hours of work to avoid having to pay for certain benefits).

4) Collins cares as deeply about small business as Trump does about big businesses. Each candidate would thereby nicely balance the other.

5) Collins’ measured comments and tone would offset Trump’s bombastic pronouncements and shouting.

6) Finally, Collins would increase the support of so-called Establishment Republicans like the Bush family that are currently skeptical about, if not outright hostile, toward Trump. Collins supported Jeb Bus for President and might have made a difference in the race had she campaigned for him. And Jeb’s new mansion on Walker Point could still be the setting for fundraisers among the 1% of Americans with whom the Bushes and Collins are aligned.

A Trump-Collins ticket would mount a strong opposition to the two Communists now seeking the Democratic Presidential nomination. This time, around, a woman might be elected Vice President, not merely nominated for that position as in 1984. Think about it, Donald!