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Gregory Rec/Staff PhotographerUpdate
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins declared victory in her re-election campaign tonight, thanking voters for returning her to office after accepting a concession call from challenger Tom Allen.
“It is such an honor to represent the state of Maine in the United States Senate,” Collins told a crowd of about 1,000 cheering supporters at the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland. “When I see the Capitol lighted up at night, I always remember the trust that the people of Maine have given me.”
She said Allen was “very gracious” in a 10:15 p.m. phone call conceding the race.
Collins entered the ballroom behind four bagpipers and a drummer, making her way to the stage through her supporters. After her remarks, red, white and blue confetti shot from the balcony over the crowd.
Allen’s supporters were waiting for his concession speech at the Wyndham Hotel in South Portland.With 24 percent of precincts reported, Collins led Allen 58 percent to 42 percent. She had 91,384 votes, and Allen had 65,168 votes.
Mark Ellis, chairman of the Maine Republican Party, said the victory was a credit to Collins' hard work and ability to raise funds.
“She’s an independent thinker,” said Ellis. “She’s a constituent senator first and that is really what is behind her victory.”
In a final e-mail to supporters earlier in the day, Allen touched on his plans for tax relief for the middle class, energy independence and affordable health care.
“I am very proud of the race that we have run,” he said.
Both candidates spent a long day campaigning.Allen, teaming up with his wife, Diana, visited polling places in Bangor, Augusta, Waterville, Lewiston Biddeford, Scarborough and several other towns.
Collins started the day at a breakfast in her home town of Caribou, then took her campaign bus to rallies in Bangor and Lewiston before arriving in Portland.
Both candidates raised roughly $13 million between them in Maine’s most expensive campaign ever, exceeding the previous mark by $5 million.
Staff Writers Tom Bell and Jenn Menendez contributed to this article. Political Correspondent Dieter Bradbury can be reached at 791-6329 or at: dbradbury@pressherald.com
10:45 p.m.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins held an 8 percentage point lead over Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Allen tonight in a race that the Associated Press has projected she will win.
With 8 percent of the vote tallied, Collins had 22,954 votes, or 54 percent, and Allen had 19,438 votes, or 46 percent, based on unofficial returns.
AP’s projection of a Collins victory was based on an analysis of voter interviews conducted for AP by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.
Carol Andrews, spokeswoman for the Allen campaign said “it’s disheartening” that AP called the race so early. She said some voters in Portland were still standing on line waiting to cast their ballots when AP projected the Collins victory.
About 45 people were gathered Allen’s election night headquarters at the Wyndham Hotel near the Maine Mall in South Portland, waiting for Allen to arrive.
The small crowd munched appetizers, ordered drinks from a cash bar and watching returns come in for presidential race on a number of flat-screen televisions that lined the walls.
At the Collins headquarters at the Eastland Park Hotel, several hundred people packed into the ballroom to watch the returns come in.
Mark Ellis, chairman of the Maine Republican Party, said the projected victory was a credit to Collin’s hard work and ability to raise funds.
“She’s an independent thinker,” said Ellis. “She’s a constituent senator first and that is really what is behind her...
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