Susan Collins may not be MAGA, but she has been a bastion of Republican America for over 30 years, what it looked like from her election night watch party as the blue wave swept the country.

The night began as a celebration. Senator Susan Collins even said as much. As polls closed in Maine, Collins stood at the podium and addressed the most ardent among her base, all of whom cheered with an intense fervor.

The Bangor Hilton ballroom and bar were splashed with red. Women wore blood red dresses, and men sported crimson pocket squares and ties.

Collins beamed as she thanked her family, staff, and supporters, before she uttered a phrase that would age like a mayfly by the end of the night: Let’s celebrate.

The word of the night was “confidence.” From Collins director of comms, to gubernatorial candidate, Bobby Charles, the feeling was confidence. Charles touted his plans to lower energy prices by cutting solar subsidies. Collins shook hands and signed 5th grade social studies textbooks.

The Collins campaign expressed good feelings, bolstered by the Senators long and storied record of winning funds for Maine. Collins had spent the day before, criss-crossing Aroostook county, her home county and deepest base of support.

At the podium, she referenced her “warm welcome” that she had recieved.

Returns had already began trickling in as Fox News illuminated the bar that was increasingly filling with partygoers. By ten o’clock, the press typed furiously in the resturant that had been turned into a fire base of wires, cameras and computers.

Behind the press, the bar rumbled with laments, then, around 11:00, the situation became clear. Collins and her opponent, Troy Jackson had been locked in a back and forth duel throughout the night, but Bobby Charles was flagging.

By 11:30, his daughter took the stage, her eyes ringed with tears, to introduce her father, for his concession speech.

Charles gave his daughter and right-hand woman throughout the campaign, a bear hug, as only a father could.

“In the words of Churchill,” he said firmly to the somber crowd, “this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

The wheels had come off, Talarico had carried Texas, Ossoff had completed his demolition in Georgia, El Sayed was bearing down on his own victory in Michigan.

In the end, there was nothing Collins, or any Republican for that matter, could do. With Winter coming, experience in congress, wouldn’t heat homes, and Maine voters made that clear.

Collins would concede just after midnight, igniting raucous celebrations at the Jackson camp.

In the end, Collins demolition in Portland, revealed what many quietly pondered; outside of Aroostook, Collins brand as a staple of Maine, couldn’t stand up to the anger of the American people.

The Republican base crumbled, and Collins was just not moderate enough to stand alone from the fire. The question now becomes, will Troy Jackson’s inexperience come to haunt him in six years, and will he wash ashore and be left behind by the ebb tide of the blue wave.