The Senate’s fall from its noble origins into partisan dysfunction signals a deeper crisis in American democracy. Once a deliberative body that valued reasoned debate and institutional dignity (the mature older sibling of the unruly House), today’s Senate bows to personality over principle. This decline is most visible in the Republican Party’s relentless efforts to minimize the Jan. 6, 2021 attack and pledge loyalty to Donald Trump, fearing his social media attacks and the primary challengers that follow.

Sen. Susan Collins is facing reelection in 2026. Her carefully cultivated image of thoughtful independence has too often given way to the Collins two-step: taking a firm position when the votes are already counted or reverting to a careful pattern of delayed decisions that seem designed to minimize political risk rather than defend constitutional principles. As the Senate wrestles with its core responsibilities — from judicial confirmations to legislative oversight — Collins must choose between institutional duty and partisan self-preservation.

The next two years will define not only Collins’ legacy but also whether the Senate can restore its role as a guardian of democratic governance. The chamber’s historic commitment to reasoned debate and constitutional duty hangs in the balance, threatened by a brand of Trumpian populist authoritarianism that reduces senatorial independence to political theater. If Collins cannot, at long last, put ethics and independence above craven political calculus, she deserves the electorate’s wrath in 2026.

Chris Indorf
Saco