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Transgender Woman Announces Run For Sen. Collins' Seat

SANGERVILLE, Maine - A transgender woman from Maine says she is running as an independent candidate against incumbent U.S. Sen. Susan Collins.Thirty-six-year-old Danielle VanHelsing announced her run Thursday, and is the second to officially announce a campaign against the Republican senator in 2020. The Sun Journal reports Collins indicated recently that she intends to run for re-election.
 
Cat London had previously announced her candidacy in July, but said last weekend that she has put her campaign on hold.
 
The 36-year-old call center employee says it is "a horrifying time'' for the transgender community, and argues Collins isn't putting the needs of Maine residents first.
 
VanHelsing briefly entered the race for then-Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin's seat in Maine's 2nd congressional district, but later dropped out. Democrat Jared Golden later unseated Poliquin.