Susan Collins Reveals Why Her Hands, Voice Shake

Susan Collins is addressing a question that's been following her online: why her hands, head, and voice sometimes shake. The 73-year-old Republican senator from Maine, facing a tough re-election fight, told local outlet News Center Maine she has had a benign essential tremor "for the entire time" she's been in the Senate, though she added it "absolutely" doesn't affect her work. Collins called the condition "occasionally inconvenient" and said it's drawn "cruel comments" on social media, but she stressed it hasn't worsened in a way that impairs her ability to serve, per the New York Times. She added to the Washington Post that it's "something that I have lived with for decades."

The disclosure lands in a political moment obsessed with age and capacity, after President Biden exited the 2024 race amid concerns about serving into his 80s, and as President Trump nears 80 himself, per the Times. Collins, who's seeking a sixth term, is expected to face Democrat Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oysterman and political newcomer who surged on calls for generational change and helped edge Gov. Janet Mills, 78, out of the primary. The race, in a state Trump lost by about seven points in 2024, is poised to center on age, experience, and character, and could help decide which party controls the Senate.