GOP Sen. Collins: Palin ‘Likes Being A Celebrity Commentator’ Instead Of Governing

Fmr. Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who has the reputation of being a moderate New England Republican, doesn’t seem to be getting on board with the recent hard-right push from the Tea Partiers. In fact, the Kennebec Journal reports, she’s even badmouthing Sarah Palin for costing the GOP Senate seats — and she thinks Palin would rather be a “celebrity commentator” than run for president and govern:

Collins said Palin will be weakened if Sen. Lisa Murkowski wins her write-in campaign for re-election in Alaska. Election officials say enough write-in votes were cast that Murkowski could be the winner.

Collins does not expect Palin to run for president.

“I think she likes being a celebrity commentator for Fox and a speaker and being able to provide for her family,” Collins said. “I think that life appeals to her. It’s a lot easier to charge people up than to actually govern.”

[TPM SLIDESHOW: Governor Sarah Palin: A Long Goodbye]

Collins also said of Palin and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), “they cost us two seats we could have won,” referring to the primary victories of Tea Party candidates in Delaware and Nevada. In fact, this isn’t exactly true — Palin did endorse Christine O’Donnell in Delaware, but only endorsed Sharron Angle well after the Republican primary.

Collins will be up for re-election in 2014.

(Via Collins Watch.)

Latest DC
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: