Just got this from Human Right Campaign re: their endorsement of Susan Collins

[SacoMaine61]

They've got some nerve endorsing Collins. Yeah, great, she finally came around on same sex marriage when she realized it was politically safe to do so. Shenna's been talking the talk and walking the walk from the get-go.

From HRC:

Did you hear the news? Maine's own U.S. senator Susan Collins recently announced her support for marriage equality.
Sen. Collins' announcement makes her only the fourth Republican U.S. senator to support marriage equality and continues her demonstrated leadership within the Republican Party on issues of LGBT equality.
Since coming to the Human Rights Campaign, I have worked closely with Senator Collins and her staff in Washington as we worked to pass critical pieces of pro-equality legislation through the U.S. Senate – bills like the Matthew Shephard/James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Very few things happen in Washington without support from both sides of the aisle, and I know that we would not have been successful in our efforts were it not for the leadership of Senator Collins.
Senator Collins was the lead Republican sponsor of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal in the Senate and played an instrumental role in moving the legislation as a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. She has time and again helped garner support for pro-equality measures from her Republican colleagues, including just last year when ten Republican senators voted for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
We work every day to encourage elected officials to become more supportive of the basic human rights of their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender friends, neighbors and constituents, so please take a moment now to thank Senator Collins for her leadership in the Senate on LGBT equality and her support for marriage equality.

[bluestateguy]

1. HRC is an interest group, not an arm of the Democratic Party

A Senator who votes the way the group favors and leads the way on repealing DADT is going to be endorsed for reelection irregardless of party lablels.

That's what interest groups do: even if the challenger is really good on their issues, tie goes to the incumbent because the incumbent is the office holder who has power and can make things happen, especially if they have seniority.

And interest groups are also inherently selfish. As in,they only care about their issues and nothing or nobody else. The NRA does not care about abortion or the Iraq War, and the HRC does not give a damn about climate change or the Farm Bill.

[eShirl]

2. It makes sense that they reward any Republican who comes to their senses on the issue

The Democrats are virtually all there already.