Collins Sets Senate Record With 10,000th Consecutive Vote

Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) made history on Thursday, June 4, 2026, by casting her 10,000th consecutive Senate roll-call vote — becoming the first senator in U.S. history to reach that milestone without ever missing a vote since taking office. The historic vote occurred on a motion to commit a $70 billion budget reconciliation package back to the Judiciary Committee, sponsored by Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Collins has not missed a single roll-call vote since her first vote on January 22, 1997, when she voted to confirm Madeleine Albright as the first female Secretary of State. Later that same day, she voted to confirm her predecessor, Maine Senator Bill Cohen, as Secretary of Defense. The streak now spans nearly 30 years of uninterrupted attendance on the Senate floor.

A Milestone of Dedication

As the clerk called her name on Thursday evening, Collins stood at her desk wearing a red dress beneath a blue blazer and announced “aye,” drawing an immediate round of applause from colleagues, according to The Hill. The moment marked not just a personal achievement but a rare display of bipartisan recognition on a deeply divided Senate floor.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) temporarily halted the vote-a-rama to deliver a floor speech congratulating Collins. “Susan takes pride in the milestones she’s achieved, not because of any desire to have her name in the history books but because to her these votes are a tangible marker of the goal she set for herself since she came to the United States Senate, and that is ensuring that Mainers always have a voice,” Thune said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has had a frosty relationship with Collins and targeted her for defeat in previous election cycles, also offered praise. “Sen. Collins and I belong to different parties and do not always see eye to eye, but 10,000 consecutive roll call votes is an extraordinary streak by any measure and I congratulate her on reaching it,” Schumer said.

The Long Road to 10,000

Collins’ achievement is particularly notable given the challenges of Senate service — including travel, illness, family emergencies, and Maine’s harsh winter weather. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) noted the difficulty during his floor tribute, pointing out that Collins has navigated “snowstorms, nor’easters” to be present for every vote since her first day in the chamber, as reported by the Portland Press Herald.

Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the Republican Whip, praised Collins’ consistency in a speech last month: “It is my job to count the votes. No matter the topic, I can count on this: Susan will be here, she will vote with intelligence and integrity, and she will be doing it for the people of Maine.”

In her own remarks, Collins credited her upbringing. “Growing up in Aroostook County, I learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and honoring your commitments,” she said. “I am proud to bring those values with me to the Senate every day.”

Chasing the All-Time Record

While Collins’ streak is unprecedented for a senator who has never missed a vote from the start of their career, the all-time consecutive voting record still belongs to Senator William Proxmire (D-Wis.), who cast 10,252 straight votes between 1966 and 1988. Collins needs 253 more consecutive votes to break that record, a milestone she could reach by early 2027 — provided she wins re-election in November.

The third-longest streak belongs to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who cast 8,927 consecutive votes between 1993 and 2020.

Collins also holds a special place in Maine Senate history. The longest voting streak was once held by Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith, but a hip surgery in 1966 ended it at 2,941 roll-call votes. Collins surpassed Smith as the longest-serving Republican female senator in history in 2021.

Political Context and the Road Ahead

The milestone arrives at a critical moment for Collins, who is running for a sixth term in November 2026 in a competitive race against Democrat Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and military veteran. The race is considered a toss-up and is one of four key Senate seats that will determine control of the chamber.

Platner has criticized Collins for many of her choices among the 10,000 votes, particularly her 2002 vote authorizing the Iraq War. However, the voting streak provides Collins with a powerful campaign narrative of reliability and dedication at a time when her opponent has faced damaging personal controversies.

The Bangor Daily News noted that Collins’ pace puts her on target to set the all-time record by early next year — but only if she wins her toss-up November bid. If she secures a sixth term, she would also become the longest-serving senator in Maine history.

What’s Next

Collins’ achievement has drawn comparisons to baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr.’s record of 2,632 consecutive games played, underscoring the rarity of such sustained attendance in any field. The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board recently praised Collins, writing: “Whatever else you say about Sen. Collins, she isn’t a slacker. She didn’t miss a vote despite the vagaries of chance and personal sadness, such as the death of her mother.”

As the Senate continues its work, all eyes will be on whether Collins can maintain her perfect attendance through a contentious campaign season and beyond — and whether she will ultimately claim the all-time record that has eluded every senator before her.