BANGOR (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- The pressure is on for Sen. Susan Collins to make a decision in what some are calling an historic vote, with the Maine senator potentially playing a role in that history.
"All of this attempt to pressure me is not going to be a factor in my decision making," Collins told NEWS CENTER Maine earlier this month.
Sen. Collins has cast a couple of difficult votes in the past year and a half but none can compare to the vote she hasn't made.
"I think that it will be a difficult vote, no doubt about it," said University of Maine political science professor Amy Fried.
Fried said Collins' vote whether to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court will be a very important vote, maybe the most important of her career.
"We're talking about a lifetime position on the highest court in the land," added Fried.
Her past voting record shows she supports Supreme Court nominees no matter who nominated them.
"She does have a long track record of supporting every presidential nominee to the Supreme Court and I think that has to weigh heavily," said Fried.
However, there hasn't been a nominee with this much controversy and so much at stake.
"She also has been very strongly pro-choice in her career and that's something that certainly is of question when it comes to this nominee," said Fried.
As it stands the Senate is split, 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats. With such an even split, senators like Collins who are swing voters can be the difference-makers.
"She does vote with the President and with Republicans over 80% of the time but in the kinds of votes that are often the most controversial where she could be a swing vote, that's where she's made a big difference," said Fried.
"It is much more than historic," said former legislator and friend of the senator, Carol Weston.
She believes this vote will not be one of those times.
"I'm really confident that she will vote yes to confirm Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," said Weston.
She says Collins will vote on principle, of the presumption of innocence and of due process, in regards to the accusations of sexual assault made against Judge Kavanaugh.
"Fairness and decency and I just see her looking at this vote under that lens," said Weston.
"I am applying the same standards that have applied to the previous five Supreme Court nominees that I've been called to vote on," said Collins earlier this month.
Only time will tell whether that vote will be for or against.
"Susan is strong," said Weston. "She's fair and she will make sure she has all of the information."
It's still unclear exactly where Collins stands on the Kavanaugh vote. Collins hasn't publicly made a decision because all of that information hasn't come out.
The Senate confirmation vote was postponed Friday after President Trump ordered a new FBI probe into Judge Kavanaugh.
There's currently no date set for the release of those findings or for the confirmation vote to take place.