Maine Sen. Susan Collins discloses tremor as health scrutiny swirls
Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said she has a benign essential tremor and that the condition has been part of her life for decades as she seeks reelection in one of the most competitive Senate races of the year. Collins disclosed the longtime tremor in a Thursday statement to The Associated Press, describing it as not neurodegenerative and saying it does not interfere with her ability to work.
Collins said the tremor causes trembling in her hands, head and voice. She also said it has been “occasionally inconvenient” and has attracted “cruel comments” online, but she said it has not hindered her ability to do her job.
In the AP report, Collins said she first confirmed the tremor to WCSH-TV in Maine on Wednesday, after facing questions about her health that arose from appearances in recent videos, including a campaign announcement video. In her statement to the AP on Thursday, Collins said the tremor does not interfere with work and that she has lived with it throughout her nearly three-decade Senate career.
The disclosure follows a broader pattern in U.S. politics in which candidates’ health and age have drawn more attention in high-profile races, the AP reported. That scrutiny has intensified since Democratic President Joe Biden decided not to seek reelection in 2024 at age 81, and it has continued under President Donald Trump, who is 79 and has been seen with bruising on the back of his hand in recent months. The White House acknowledged last year that Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency.
Maine’s race is expected to feature Collins on the ballot against Democrat Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and combat veteran, after Democratic Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign last week, the AP reported. Age has been a factor in the matchup, with Collins at 73 and Mills at 78 more than three decades older than Platner, who is 41.
Platner has previously spoken about his own health problems in the course of the campaign. The AP reported that Platner acknowledged earlier in his campaign that he has chronic pain in his shoulder and knees tied to combat service and that he said he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving at war. He has also said he has a 100% disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs while continuing to work as an oyster farmer.
Collins, first elected to the Senate in 1996, has said in her statement that she has had the tremor for all of that time. Over the years, the condition has been noticeable in her debates and frequent public appearances, according to the AP report.
The AP also noted that Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, has led debate on major spending disputes in Congress and has frequently interacted with reporters in the hallways. Her streak of never missing a Senate vote was reported as 9,966, described as the second-longest consecutive voting streak in the chamber’s history.
Tremors can occur when nerves are not properly communicating with certain muscles, the AP reported, citing medical information included in its story. The AP said essential tremor—sometimes referred to as benign essential tremor—is one of the most common movement disorders, according to the National Institutes of Health, and that risk tends to increase with age while at least some cases are inherited.