Susan Margaret Collins is an American politician who has represented Maine in the United States Senate since 1997. A member of the Republican Party, she became one of the longest-serving women in the history of the Senate and, since January 2025, has chaired the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. Her career has been marked by a reputation for working across party lines, although her votes on major national issues have also made her a frequent target of criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.
Born and raised in Caribou, Maine, Collins comes from a family with a long history in Maine public life. Both of her parents served as mayor of Caribou, while her father also served in the Maine Legislature. She later worked for Senator William Cohen before holding senior positions in state and federal government and eventually entering electoral politics herself.
In September 2026, Collins became the subject of major investigative reporting concerning her past relationship with Hawaii-based defense contractor Navatek and its former chief executive Martin Kao. ProPublica reported that FBI agents had examined allegations concerning a $150,000 contribution to a Collins-linked super PAC and the company’s pursuit of federal contracts. ProPublica further reported that the FBI continued examining the matter into 2025 before the federal corruption unit handling the investigation was dismantled during the Trump administration. Collins and her representatives have denied wrongdoing and disputed aspects of the reporting.
Susan Collins Profile Summary
| Profile | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Susan Margaret Collins |
| Date of Birth | December 7, 1952 |
| Age | 73 years old in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Caribou, Maine, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Political Party | Republican Party |
| Profession | Politician and former government official |
| Current Position | United States Senator from Maine |
| Senate Service | 1997 to present |
| Current Leadership Role | Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee |
| Education | St. Lawrence University, B.A. in Government |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Husband | Thomas A. Daffron |
| Residence | Bangor, Maine |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 3 in, not officially established |
| @senatorsusancollins | |
| Net Worth | Exact figure not reliably established publicly |
Susan Collins Early Life
Susan Margaret Collins was born on December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Aroostook County, Maine. She was one of six children of Donald and Patricia Collins. Her family operated a sixth-generation lumber business founded by her ancestors in 1844, making the Collins family deeply connected to the economic and civic life of northern Maine.
Public service was already part of her family environment. Both of her parents served as mayors of Caribou, while her father was also a World War II veteran and served in both the Maine State Senate and Maine House of Representatives. The Senate biography notes that four generations of her family have served in the Maine Legislature.
Collins graduated from Caribou High School in 1971. Her upbringing in Aroostook County became an important part of her political identity, particularly her emphasis on rural communities, agriculture, forestry, veterans and the economic concerns of northern Maine.
Susan Collins Education
After high school, Collins attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. She graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in government and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Her academic background in government provided the foundation for a career that would eventually take her into congressional staff work and national politics.
While still relatively young, Collins entered Washington politics. She began working for Senator William Cohen, a Maine Republican who later became U.S. secretary of defense. Collins eventually became staff director of the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management.
Her education and early congressional experience were followed by several public-sector positions rather than an immediate transition into electoral politics. She later received numerous honorary degrees from colleges and universities, although her earned undergraduate degree remains her formal academic qualification.
Susan Collins Career
Susan Collins began her professional political career in the office of Senator William Cohen after graduating from St. Lawrence University in 1975. She worked for Cohen for more than a decade and eventually became staff director of the Senate Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management.
In 1987, Collins became commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, a position she held until 1992. She subsequently served as New England regional director of the U.S. Small Business Administration and later became deputy state treasurer of Massachusetts in 1993.
Collins entered electoral politics in 1994 when she became the Republican nominee for governor of Maine. She was the first woman nominated for governor by the Maine Republican Party, but she lost the general election to Democratic incumbent Angus King.
In 1996, Collins won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by William Cohen and won the general election. She took office in January 1997 and has subsequently been reelected in 2002, 2008, 2014 and 2020. In 2020, she became the first Republican woman to win five terms in the Senate.
During her Senate career, Collins has chaired several committees. She chaired the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and later chaired the Senate Special Committee on Aging. In January 2025, she became chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, one of Congress’s most influential committees because of its role in federal spending legislation.
Her legislative work has covered health care, veterans’ affairs, rural health, transportation, national defense, education, agriculture and federal spending. She has particularly emphasized issues affecting Maine’s rural population and veterans. Her office reports that she has supported expanded rural veterans’ health care and helped secure funding for programs serving veterans in Maine.
Collins has also played a significant role in bipartisan appropriations negotiations. In 2024, she was a lead negotiator on a six-bill government funding package that passed the Senate 75-22. In 2025 and 2026, she participated in negotiations involving additional federal appropriations legislation, including measures covering veterans, agriculture, the FDA, military construction and other federal programs.
Her voting record has also included positions that have generated substantial political debate. Collins supported the confirmations of Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh while opposing the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett. She has described herself as supportive of abortion rights, while her vote for Kavanaugh became a central issue in subsequent debates over abortion policy. These positions have contributed to competing descriptions of her political record from different sides of the political spectrum.
In the 2026 election cycle, Collins is seeking another Senate term. Democrat Troy Jackson became the Democratic nominee in July 2026 after the withdrawal of Graham Platner, setting up a November contest between Jackson and Collins.
Susan Collins Trending: Why Is Susan Collins Famous?
Susan Collins is famous primarily for her long tenure in the United States Senate and her role as one of Maine’s most prominent Republican politicians. She has represented the state in the Senate continuously since 1997 and has held several influential committee leadership positions.
She has also attracted national attention because of several high-profile Senate votes. Her positions on Supreme Court confirmations, health care, abortion, government funding and other major issues have made her an important figure in closely divided Senate debates.
Her leadership of the Appropriations Committee has further increased her influence over federal spending legislation. The committee handles the annual appropriations bills that fund federal agencies and programs, making its chairmanship one of the most consequential committee positions in Congress.
In September 2026, her name again became a major subject of national political coverage after ProPublica published an investigation into allegations surrounding a defense contractor’s contribution to a Collins-linked political organization and the company’s pursuit of federal contracts.
Susan Collins Navatek Investigation and 2026 Controversy
In September 2026, ProPublica reported that the FBI had been examining the relationship between Collins, members of her staff, a pro-Collins super PAC and Martin Kao, the former chief executive of Hawaii defense contractor Navatek.
According to ProPublica, Kao told investigators that Navatek wanted to exchange political financial support for assistance obtaining federal contracts. The investigation centered in part on a $150,000 contribution that was routed through a newly created shell company and ultimately went to a Collins-linked super PAC. ProPublica reported that the money originated from Navatek, which would have violated the prohibition on federal contractors making political contributions.
ProPublica reported that Kao claimed he had discussed the arrangement with individuals connected to Collins and that Navatek subsequently pursued additional federal funding. The publication also reported that emails reviewed by its journalists showed Collins’ office had communicated with Navy officials about Navatek contracts. These are allegations and documentary findings reported by ProPublica, rather than a judicial determination that Collins committed bribery.
Collins’ representatives have rejected wrongdoing. Her deputy chief of staff said the FBI and the courts did not believe Kao, while the campaign said the campaign had fully cooperated with an earlier FBI investigation. Collins’ team also said the illegal contribution had been disgorged in 2021 and that the matter had been resolved at that time.
ProPublica subsequently published a second report disputing several statements made by Collins and her representatives. It reported that FBI records showed agents continued examining Kao’s relationship with Collins, her staff and the super PAC into early 2025. ProPublica also reported that the review ended after the Trump administration removed or dismissed personnel involved in federal corruption investigations.
As of September 2026, these developments should be described as an investigative controversy involving allegations and competing accounts rather than as a criminal conviction or established finding of bribery against Collins.
Susan Collins Personal Life
Susan Collins married Thomas A. Daffron on August 11, 2012, in a small ceremony at Gray Memorial United Methodist Church in her hometown of Caribou. Daffron is a political consultant and former congressional staffer who worked with William Cohen and later became chief operating officer of Jefferson Consulting Group.
The couple had known each other for many years before beginning a romantic relationship. They originally met while working for Senator William Cohen and later became partners after decades of professional acquaintance. Collins and Daffron live in Bangor, Maine.
Collins has no publicly known biological children. She and Daffron have maintained a relatively private family life despite her long career in national politics. She is also known to have a black Labrador named Pepper, whom she mentions in her official Senate biography.
Susan Collins Age, Religion, Nationality, Height and Physical Appearance
Susan Collins was born on December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Maine, making her 73 years old in 2026. She is American and has spent most of her life in Maine and Washington, D.C., with her political identity strongly connected to her upbringing in northern Maine.
Collins is a Roman Catholic. Her religious affiliation has been documented in congressional and political reference sources. She married Thomas Daffron in a Methodist church in Caribou in 2012, although her own religious affiliation is Catholic.
Her height is commonly reported at approximately 5 feet 3 inches, or 1.60 metres, although an authoritative government source does not appear to publish an official height. She is frequently seen with her short blonde hairstyle and formal professional clothing associated with her long career in the U.S. Senate.
Susan Collins Social Media Presence
Susan Collins maintains a public social-media presence connected to her Senate work. The supplied Instagram handle is @senatorsusancollins, although the precise account ownership is better understood as an official political communication channel rather than a personal lifestyle account.
Her public digital presence focuses largely on legislative work, Senate activities, Maine events, government funding, veterans’ affairs and other official matters.
Her social-media activity is therefore substantially different from that of entertainment personalities, with communications generally centered on her public office and political work.
Susan Collins Net Worth
Susan Collins has earned her income primarily through a long career in public service. Before entering the Senate, she held senior positions in congressional offices, Maine state government, the federal Small Business Administration and Massachusetts state government. Since 1997, her principal public career has been as a U.S. senator.
Some online sources estimate Collins’ net worth at approximately $4 million, but that figure should not be treated as an independently verified current valuation. Congressional financial disclosures provide information about assets, liabilities and financial interests, but they do not establish a single precise real-time net-worth figure.
Her actual current net worth is therefore not reliably established publicly. Any figure such as $4 million should be described as an estimate rather than a confirmed amount.
Susan Collins Legacy
Susan Collins has become one of the longest-serving women in the United States Senate and one of the most prominent Republican politicians from Maine. Her tenure has included leadership of several major Senate committees and, beginning in 2025, the chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee.
Her legislative record includes sustained work on veterans’ health care, rural health access, federal appropriations, agriculture, national defense and other issues affecting Maine. Her office has highlighted bipartisan legislation and negotiations as a major part of her Senate career.
At the same time, Collins’ career has remained politically contested. Her votes on Supreme Court nominations and other major national issues have generated strong reactions from both supporters and critics, while the 2026 Navatek reporting has added a new layer of scrutiny concerning campaign contributions and federal contracting. Her historical record therefore includes both legislative achievements and controversies that remain subjects of political debate.
Conclusion
Susan Collins is a long-serving Republican senator from Maine whose career has included congressional staff work, state and federal government positions, five successful Senate reelection campaigns and leadership of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Born into a family with a strong tradition of Maine public service, she developed a political career that has emphasized rural Maine, veterans, federal spending and bipartisan legislation. Her personal life has remained relatively private, including her marriage to political consultant Thomas Daffron. In September 2026, ProPublica’s reporting on the Navatek matter brought renewed attention to allegations involving a defense contractor’s political contribution and federal contracting, while Collins and her representatives have denied wrongdoing and disputed parts of the reporting. The legal and investigative status of those allegations should be distinguished from established findings or convictions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Susan Collins
Who is Susan Collins?
Susan Collins is an American Republican politician who has represented Maine in the United States Senate since 1997.
How old is Susan Collins?
Susan Collins is 73 years old in 2026. She was born on December 7, 1952.
Where was Susan Collins born?
She was born in Caribou, Maine, United States.
What political party does Susan Collins belong to?
Susan Collins is a member of the Republican Party.
How long has Susan Collins been a senator?
She has served in the United States Senate since January 1997, representing Maine.
Who is Susan Collins’ husband?
Susan Collins is married to Thomas A. Daffron, a political consultant and former congressional staffer. They married in 2012.
What religion is Susan Collins?
Susan Collins is Roman Catholic.
Where did Susan Collins go to college?
She attended St. Lawrence University, where she graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in government.
What committee does Susan Collins chair?
Since January 2025, Susan Collins has served as chair of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee.
What is Susan Collins known for?
She is known for her long service in the U.S. Senate, her role in federal appropriations, her work on veterans and rural health issues, and her votes on major legislation and Supreme Court confirmations.
Is Susan Collins running for reelection in 2026?
Yes. She is seeking another term in the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Maine. Democrat Troy Jackson became the Democratic nominee in July 2026.
What is the Susan Collins Navatek controversy?
The controversy concerns ProPublica reporting about an FBI examination of the relationship between Collins, people connected to her campaign, a pro-Collins super PAC and former Navatek CEO Martin Kao. The reporting focused partly on a $150,000 contribution routed through a shell company and allegations concerning federal contracts. Collins and her representatives have denied wrongdoing and disputed aspects of the reporting.
Was Susan Collins convicted of bribery?
There is no reported criminal conviction of Susan Collins for bribery arising from the Navatek matter. The September 2026 reporting concerns allegations and an FBI investigation rather than an established criminal conviction against Collins.
What is Susan Collins’ net worth?
Some online estimates place her wealth at around $4 million, but there is no authoritative public source establishing that exact figure. Her current net worth is therefore not reliably known.
Does Susan Collins have Instagram?
A public Instagram account associated with her political work is @senatorsusancollins. Her social-media presence is primarily focused on her Senate activities and public appearances.