Embattled Susan Collins announces exemptions for Maine from Trump Canada tariffs

The White House has pulled back some of its tariffs on Canadian imports, a move that helps Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins in a close re-election race. Administration officials said the change would better serve the public interest. The contest against Democrat Troy Jackson, a state senator and former logger, is rated a toss-up and could help decide whether Democrats win back the Senate, according to The Guardian.

Blueberries, potatoes, apples and seaweed are among nine farm products now exempted. Plywood sheets, packing boxes, paper goods and some machinery used in processing also come off the list. Collins said Maine growers depend on inputs that American suppliers cannot provide affordably, and promised to keep lobbying officials, including Ambassador Greer and Secretary Lutnick, for further relief and a wider deal with Canada.

Maine's economy leans heavily on Canadian trade. Prime Minister Mark Carney said auto exports to the US are down 10% and US exports to Canada down over 20%. The New York Times found Collins has defied fellow Republicans more than any other GOP senator, though seldom successfully, a point Jackson stresses, along with Collins's Brett Kavanaugh vote.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →