Sen. Susan Collins to buck Trump, vote against Coney Barrett

Sen. Susan Collins, the Maine Republican facing a tough reelection battle, has decided to oppose Judge Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court, saying she wants to be consistent after voting four years ago to oppose President Barack Obama's nominee during an election year.

Collins made her announcement Sunday, issuing a formal statement that she wasn't rejecting Barrett's credentials to serve on the high court but simply "being fair and consistent."

"Prior to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, I stated that, should a vacancy on the Supreme Court arise, the Senate should follow the precedent set four years ago and not vote on a nominee prior to the presidential election," she said. 

"Because this vote is occurring prior to the election, I will vote against the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett," she added.

Collins, like most Republicans, opposed Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court four years ago. Barrett's final confirmation vote in the Senate is slated for Monday evening.