Susan Collins says she's won Maine after challenger called to concede

Incumbent defeated Democratic challenger Sara Gideon

Republican senator Susan Collins has been reelected in Maine after her challenger Sara Gideon called to concede the Senate race.

On Wednesday afternoon, Ms Collins, 67, told a group of her supporters outside of a hotel in Bangor, Maine, that Ms Gideon, who also serves as the state’s house speaker, had called her to concede what had been a tight race.

“To the people of Maine, thank you, thank you,” Ms Collins said in brief remarks. “I will serve you with all of my heart and I will work hard for you every day,” the senator added.

Speaking at a livestreamed event on Wednesday, Ms Gideon said: “Just now I spoke with senator Collins. I congratulated her on winning this election and I told her that I will always be available to help serve the people of Maine.”

Ms Collins has previously been elected in the state with margins between 20 to 30 percentage points, but her vote share collapsed significantly this election. The senator tailed Ms Gideon for months leading up to 3 November.

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When the Democratic Challenger conceded, Ms Collins was leading Ms Gideon by 49.8 per cent to 43.2 per cent with about 75 per cent of the votes counted.

Independent candidates Lisa Savage and Max Linn were on 5 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.

The Republican won a majority of first-place votes, which meant no extra tabulation rounds were necessary under Maine’s ranked choice voting system, according to the Associated Press.

Ms Collins was the only Republican Senate candidate to not endorse Donald Trump for reelection, and has been a thorn in the side of the president.

The senator has long presented herself as a bipartisan centrist politician who is willing to work with both sides to achieve a target. This position has served her well in the fiercely independent Maine.

However, her opponents in recent years have criticised her for voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, President Trumps’ second Supreme Court appointment, and for tax cuts that benefited the wealthy.

President Trump also criticised Ms Collins recently, after she was the only Republican to vote against the confirmation of Mr Trump’s third Supreme Court appointment, Amy Coney Barrett.

This will be Ms Collin’s fifth term as a senator in Maine.