WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — In 2017, all of Maine’s delegates and then Governor Paul LePage attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump. In 2021, due to COVID-19 as well as the recent violence at the Capitol, that won’t be the case for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday.
Independent Sen. Angus King, Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree (CD-1), and Democratic Gov. Janet Mills say they will all be watching the inauguration on television like many of us.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins will attend the scaled-down event on the west front of the U.S. Capitol in person.
“I have a long-standing relationship with President-elect Biden and have worked well with him on many issues over the years while he was a Senator and Vice President. I was the first Republican Senator to acknowledge and congratulate him on his election, and I was pleased that he called to congratulate me shortly after my own victory,” Collins said. “The American people are eager for results, and I look forward to working closely with the President-elect to advance bipartisan solutions to the myriad challenges facing our nation.”
NEWS CENTER Maine has reached out to Democratic Rep. Jared Golden’s communications team about his plan for the inauguration, but his team has declined to comment on inauguration plans.
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Collins has worked with Biden for more than two decades, serving alongside him in the Senate from 1997 to 2009 and while he was Vice President from 2009 to 2017.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, attendance at this year’s inauguration has been curtailed. Strict testing requirements are in place and seating will be socially distanced.