Maine's Republican Senator Susan Collins says she is 'troubled' by allegations that Somali interpreters have been accompanying migrant women into polling stations and instructing them how to vote.
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interpreters → say → them
Collins told reporters on Wednesday that she had only recently learned of the alleged scandal but was 'concerned' for the safety of Maine's upcoming midterm elections.
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she → tell → elections
'Certainly only Americans should be voting in American elections,' Collins said.
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Collins → vote → elections
'It is troubling to me if people are being accompanied into voting booths and handling ballots in a way that is not sanctioned by law.'
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that → accompany → law
The allegations that Somali translators were helping migrants vote were put forward Tuesday by The Maine Wire, which claimed to witness several elderly Somali people being ushered through polling places.
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people → help → places
According to reporters at the polling booths, the translators are known to escort voters, run buses from housing complexes to polls, and allegedly instruct them on how to vote.
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translators → accord → them
The outlet claimed that the translators work for taxpayer-funded NGOs and Medicaid agencies, who had been deployed as Maine's early voting got underway ahead of the midterm elections on November 3.
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voting → claim → November
The translators were reportedly spotted in the town of Lewiston, Maine, which has one of the highest Somali populations in New England.
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which → spot → England
Maine's Republican Senator Susan Collins says she is 'troubled' by allegations that Somali interpreters have been accompanying migrant women into polling stations and instructing them how to vote
Reports alleged this week that Somali 'translators' were escorting elderly migrants to the polls in Maine and instructing them how to vote
It comes as Collins finds herself in the midst of a turbulent re-election campaign, with most polls showing a tight race between the Republican and her Democrat challenger, Troy Jackson.
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polls → say → Republican
A recent poll from InsiderAdvantage found Jackson with a two percentage point lead, while another from The Washington Post found the Democrat with a four point lead.
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another → find → lead
Collins had previously been campaigning against oyster farmer Graham Platner, but he was forced to drop out of the race amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denied.
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he → campaign → which
However, Jackson has also been marred by his own controversies, including a revelation that he fathered children with his second cousin.
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he → mar → cousin
The race has become central to the balance of power in Congress after the midterms, and the winner could be decisive over whether Republicans are able to retain control of the Senate.
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Republicans → become → Senate
Earlier this month, Jackson was criticized for his remarks in a debate with Collins as he told the incumbent Senator to 'shut up' during a fiery exchange.
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he → criticize → exchange
The clash erupted when a protester opposed to data centers interrupted Collins as she attempted to answer a question during the debate.
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she → erupt → debate
Collins finds herself in the midst of a turbulent re-election campaign as she fights to hold onto her Senate seat
Collins is facing Democrat Troy Jackson, seen with Bernie Sanders, in her re-election fight
As moderators moved to have the protester removed, Collins took a swipe at her Democratic rival, saying: 'So this is obviously one of Troy's supporters.
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this → find → supporters
'Oh shut up,' Jackson fired back.
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Jackson → shut → ?
'I don't even know that kid,' to which Collins responded, 'Oh, right.'
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Collins → know → which
Jackson refused to apologize for the jab at Collins, and doubled down in a post-debate interview with CNN as he said he had no regrets.
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he → refuse → regrets
I've had four debates with Senator Collins.
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I → have → Collins
I've shook her hand afterward every time.
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I → shake → hand
But what I'm not going to be is talked down to by Senator Collins.
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going → go → Collins
I'm not going to, you know, be accused of things like that,' he said.
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he → go → that
Collins then escalated the feud, suggesting Jackson's remark reflected a broader pattern in how he deals with women who challenge him.
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who → escalate → him
'I was struck by how reflexive the response, 'Oh, shut up,' was,' Collins told Fox News.
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Collins → strike → News
'But then I thought about the reputation Troy Jackson has in Augusta, particularly when he's dealing with women with whom he disagrees.
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he → think → whom
So in some ways, it didn't surprise me.'
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it → surprise → me
The Daily Mail has contacted Collins, Jackson and the Maine Bureau of Elections for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
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