People on social media think Vice President Kamala Harris should offer Maine Sen. Susan Collins a job after the Democratic nominee said she would consider appointing a Republican to her cabinet if she won the election.
In an interview with Dana Bash on CNN, Harris said that it would be “to the benefit of the American public” to make her administration more bipartisan and Collins quickly emerged online as a popular choice for, with one person on X, formerly Twitter, saying that the senator “would make a great United Nations ambassador.”
Harris said: “I’ve got 68 days to go with this election, so I’m not putting the cart before the horse, but I would, I think. I think it’s really important. I have spent my career inviting diversity of opinion.”
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) talks to reporters prior to a Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on May 10, 2022 in Washington, DC. Collins’ is in the discussion as a Republican who could join a future Harris Administration.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Collins is widely recognized as a more centrist member of the Republican party, having voted with Democrats to protect IVF treatments and supporting legal protections for gay marriage in 2022.
However, beyond Collins’ credentials, some users on X pointed out the political motivations for considering her.
Once appointed to a position in the Executive, lawmakers cannot continue to hold a seat in Congress, which is why Harris herself had to give up her California Senate seat when she was elected as vice president in 2020.
If Collins were appointed to a cabinet position, she would have to give up her seat in Maine, which would then be filled by someone of the state governor’s choosing, and that person would serve until the next regularly scheduled statewide general election.
Maine’s Gov. Janet Mills is a Democrat and would likely replace the Republican Collins with a Democrat.
Actually, this could be quite good, as long as the Republican is Susan Collins.
Because Maine has a Democratic governor, and right now, it’s looking like the Senate map after this election will be 51-49 GOP.
IYKYK
— Alex Kawa (@AlexZedKawa) August 30, 2024
Currently, the Senate is made up of 49 Republicans, 46 Democrats and four independents who either caucus or are aligned with the Democrats. There is one vacancy following the resignation of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey.
The Democrats’ already narrow majority could be erased in November; there are three Democrat held seats that the Cook Political Report considers toss ups, along with outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin‘s West Virginia seat, which Cook rates Solid Republican. Republicans are under less pressure, with none of their current seats up for election considered toss ups, but it could still be close.
This has led some people to point out the advantage of appointing a Republican senator in the event of a Senate split 51-49 with a GOP majority. This would create a 50-50 Senate where a hypothetical Democratic Vice President Tim Walz would break any vote ties.
> Harris wins
> 49 D -51 R Senate
> Offer Susan Collins a cabinet position
> Replace Collins with a Democrat
> 50-50 Senate
> Victory https://t.co/Gap3ggsEYD— Polling USA (@USA_Polling) August 29, 2024
Newsweek contacted the Harris Campaign and the office of Senator Susan Collins for comment.
Who Is Susan Collins?
Sen. Susan Collins is a Republican who has represented Maine in the Senate since 1997. She is often willing to cross party lines, such as when she voted to convict former President Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial, citing his incitement of insurrection.
Collins regularly prioritizes bipartisan solutions, particularly in areas such as health care, education, and national security.
As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee, she has considerable influence over federal budget allocations and national security matters.
A Brief History of Cross-Party Cabinets
Throughout U.S. history, presidents have appointed individuals from the opposing party to their cabinets, often as a gesture of bipartisanship or to promote unity.
This practice dates back to the early 19th century when President Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, retained Federalists from the Adams administration in key positions, such as Joseph Habersham as Postmaster General and Rufus King as the ambassador to the U.K.
It continued through to the modern day: Republican William Cohen was appointed as Secretary of Defense by Democratic President Bill Clinton and served from 1997 to 2001. President George W. Bush appointed Democrat Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation, and President Barack Obama retained Republican Robert Gates as his Secretary of Defense, who served in the same role under Bush.
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