claim: The first woman to become the nominee of a major party for Governor of Maine was Susan Collins.
evidence: Susan Margaret Collins -LRB- born December 7 , 1952 -RRB- is a U.S. politician who currently serves as the senior United States Senator from Maine .. Maine. Maine. senior. Seniority in the United States Senate. United States Senator. United States Senator. A member of the Republican Party , Collins has served in the Senate since 1997 , and has served as the Chairwoman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging since 2015 and previously chaired the Senate Committee on Homeland Security from 2003 to 2007 .. Republican. Republican Party ( United States ). Republican Party. Republican Party ( United States ). Senate Special Committee on Aging. United States Senate Special Committee on Aging. Senate Committee on Homeland Security. United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. She is considered one of the most moderate Republicans in office .. She also is known for her long consecutive voting streak , which reached 6,000 votes in September 2015 .. She is the current dean of Maine 's congressional delegation .. Maine. Maine. Born in Caribou , Maine , Collins is a graduate of St. Lawrence University .. Maine. Maine. Caribou. Caribou, Maine. St. Lawrence University. St. Lawrence University. Beginning her career as a staff assistant for Senator William Cohen in 1975 , Collins later became the staff director of the Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security in 1981 .. Senate Committee on Homeland Security. United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. William Cohen. William Cohen. Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee. United States Senate Homeland Security Subcommittee on the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Programs and the Federal Workforce. She was then appointed as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation by Governor John R. McKernan , Jr. in 1987 .. Maine. Maine. Governor. Governor of Maine. In 1992 she was appointed by President George H. W. Bush as the director of the Small Business Administration 's regional office in Boston .. George H. W. Bush. George H. W. Bush. Small Business Administration. Small Business Administration. Boston. Boston. Staying in Massachusetts , Collins became that state 's Deputy State Treasurer in 1993 .. Deputy State Treasurer. Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts. After moving back to Maine in 1994 , Collins became the Republican nominee for Governor in the 1994 general election .. Maine. Maine. Republican. Republican Party ( United States ). Governor. Governor of Maine. 1994 general election. Maine gubernatorial election, 1994. Becoming the first woman to become the nominee of a major party for Governor of Maine , Collins finished third in a four way race with 23 % of the vote .. Maine. Maine. Governor. Governor of Maine. After her bid for Governor in 1994 , Collins became the founding director of the Center for Family Business at Husson University .. Governor. Governor of Maine. Husson University. Husson University. Collins was first elected to the Senate in 1996 .. United States Senate election in Maine, 1996. She has been re-elected three times , in 2002 , 2008 , and 2014 .. United States Senate election in Maine, 2002. United States Senate election in Maine, 2008. United States Senate election in Maine, 2014. After former Senator Kelly Ayotte lost reelection in 2016 , Collins became the only Republican in the US Senate currently representing a state in New England .. Republican. Republican Party ( United States ). Kelly Ayotte. Kelly Ayotte. New England. New England