I greatly appreciate Rep. Chellie Pingree’s support of D.C. statehood. Rep. Jared Golden’s, too. I wrote to both of Maine’s senators asking them to support S. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
Sen. Susan Collins responded stating that she had supported the District of Columbia House Voting Act. This legislation was put forward in 2009, and while it did grant D.C. one voting member of the House (likely a Democrat), it did so by raising the number of House members from 435 to 437, with the second new seat going to Utah, a solidly red state.
Basically, Sen. Collins supported a bill that allowed D.C. voters what they wanted – a voting member of Congress – only as long as that vote wouldn’t make any difference.