AUGUSTA, Maine — A small business advocacy organization endorsed Susan Collins in her reelection bid for U.S. Senate on Friday during an event in Hampden.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) said in its endorsement that Collins is an “invaluable advocate” for Maine small businesses. The Collins campaign says in Maine, more than 3,000 small businesses are represented by the organization.
“She truly understands the challenges that our members are facing,” NFIB’s Maine State Director David Clough said in a statement. “Senator Collins played an instrumental role in helping to ensure small businesses received critically needed financial assistance by creating the Paycheck Protection Program, and she continues to push for targeted financial aid for Maine’s smallest businesses. We are confident that Senator Collins will continue to be a champion for small businesses everywhere in the Senate. On behalf of Maine’s small business community, we are proud to endorse her today for re-election.”
NFIB is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that advocates on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, according to its website. The organization has members in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and has an office based in Augusta.
The endorsement comes from the NFIB political action committee (PAC), which is funded by member donations. NFIB says the endorsement decisions are managed by a “member driven grassroots process.”
“Small business owners are influential in their communities and NFIB members in Maine will work hard to re-elect Susan Collins,” the organization said in a release.
Collins said in a Tweet on Friday she's "proud" to receive the organization's endorsement.
In response to the endorsement, the Maine Democratic Party said NFIB "is known for leading Republican attacks against the Affordable Care Act."
"After she voted at least a dozen times to repeal or undermine the ACA and paved the way for the ongoing Republican lawsuit to strike it down, it’s no wonder that one of the health care law’s biggest opponents would back Senator Collins for reelection," Maine Dems said in a release.
“It’s telling that yet another group that wants to take away Mainers’ health care is throwing their weight behind Senator Collins,” Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra said. “Time and again, Collins has voted to make it harder for Maine families to afford the health care coverage they need. The corporate special interests who have been trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act for years know exactly whose side she is on--and it’s not the side of working Mainers.”
