Maine Sen. Susan Collins Tests Positive for COVID-19
Hours after voting on the Senate floor to confirm the nomination of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, Maine Sen. Susan Collins announced she has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Republican is the latest member of Congress to announce a positive test. Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday she tested positive after being in close proximity to President Joe Biden at a White House event Tuesday. The two were photographed embracing at the event.
“Senator Collins has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently experiencing mild symptoms. The senator will isolate and work remotely in accordance with CDC guidelines,” her office said in a statement.
Maine's senior senator was photographed wearing a mask as she exit the Senate chamber following the vote on Thursday.
Her office said Collins is fully vaccinated and boosted.
Collins, 69, attended the Gridiron Club Dinner Saturday night and took a COVID-19 test after two reporters who sat at her table told her they tested positive, spokeswoman Annie Clark told the Portland Press Herald.
The Gridiron Club notified members Thursday that at least 37 guests tested positive for COVID-19 following the dinner, according to Deadline.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu also attended the dinner, and was the Republican speaker. The governor delivered a speech in which he called former President Donald Trump "f**king crazy" which he later said was "a joke."
Sununu traveled to Lexington, Kentucky Wednesday night and spoke at the Concordia's summit Thursday morning about the state's economic recovery from the pandemic.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced a positive COVID-19 test on March 13.
The Seacoast region remains at low risk for community spread of COVID-19, according to the CDC.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH