Key GOP Senator To Support Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Nomination

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary, has gained support from Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).

“Just asked GOP Sen. Susan Collins, key swing vote, if she plans to support RFK Jr for HHS. She says she does plan to vote for him — a big boost for his confirmation,” CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju said.

“She said that Kennedy told her that he would ‘re-examine’ the WH’s NIH cuts and he ‘seemed to understand the concerns that I was raising about what it would be more very important biomedical research and clinical trials,’” Raju added.

Collins quote (minus the typos): “He seemed to understand the concerns that I was raising about about what it would mean for more very important ongoing biomedical research including clinical trials.”

Collins was also asked about JD Vance’s tweet about federal court orders.

“I…

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 10, 2025

RFK Jr.’s odds of securing the nomination have improved dramatically in recent days.

Per Forbes:

Collins—one of three GOP senators who was previously considered a possible hurdle for Kennedy—told CNN’s Manu Raju she plans to vote for Kennedy after he “seemed to understand the concerns that I was raising” and told her he would “re-examine” the White House’s National Institute of Health cuts she earlier said would be “devastating, stopping vital biomedical research and leading to the loss of jobs.”

Kennedy’s odds of achieving confirmation soared, according to election betting platforms, with Kalshi placing his odds at 96% and blockchain-based site Polymarket showing a 97% chance of confirmation.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va, who has spoken against Kennedy’s nomination, said “Vegas odds” are that he will be confirmed as HHS secretary after a key Republican, Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, gave his support minutes before a Senate Finance Committee vote Tuesday morning.

#BREAKING: Sen. Susan Collins, who was previously “on the fence,” has announced she is SUPPORTING RFK JR. for HHS Secretary

IT’S HAPPENING! pic.twitter.com/NWgMimtgmC

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 10, 2025

Republican Senator Susan Collins has confirmed that she will vote to confirm RFK Jr.

Sen. Collins was one of the few remaining Republicans who had not yet announced how she would vote on him.

One vote closer to MAHA! pic.twitter.com/bzCvoqgFEd

— American Values (@AVPac_US) February 10, 2025

ABC News reports:

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, opposed what she called a “poorly conceived directive” for the National Institutes of Health to cut support for medical and public health research at universities nationwide, she said in a statement released on Monday.

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Collins noted that she’d contacted Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. earlier in the day about the move and that he’d promised to “reexamine” it.

“I oppose the poorly conceived directive imposing an arbitrary cap on the indirect costs that are part of NIH grants and negotiated between the grant recipient and NIH,” Collins said in the statement, claiming she’s heard from laboratories and research institutions and other schools in Maine about the cuts, which “would be devastating, stopping vital biomedical research and leading to the loss of jobs.”

After her conversation with Kennedy about the cuts, Collins said she will support his nomination.

“He said he would re-examine them and seemed to understand,” Collins told reporters at the Capitol.