One of the most closely watched races in the November 2020 election, (opens in new tab) the Senate seat currently held by Republican incumbent Susan Collins. Collins is being challenged by Democratic Maine House Speaker Sarah Gideon.

However, Collins' support of the current administration and her reputation as a moderate Republican has been destroyed, allowing candidates like Gideon to make an impact. Gideon is the leading candidate for the Democratic nomination and currently faces one of the most talked about campaigns of the year. If elected, Gideon would be one of the few key candidates capable of flipping the Senate. Here is a look at who Gideon is, what he stands for, and why he is vital to the upcoming election.

Gideon (open in new tab) was born in Rhode Island and moved to Freeport, Minnesota in 2004. His father emigrated from India and his maternal grandparents fled the Armenian Genocide. She holds a B.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and is married to Benjamin Gideon, an attorney with a personal injury law firm; they have three children (and a very cute dog, by the looks of it).

And their three children wished her a happy Mother's Day on Instagram:

Gideon was elected Speaker in 2016, but she has been involved in local politics since 2004. She has marketed herself as a centripetal force for Democrats and Republicans. One of her main issues is health care, where she wants to strengthen Medicare's authority while leaving private insurance in place for those who want it (which would improve access, but not overhaul the industry).

She also supports taxing corporations and has stated that she will not accept any political action committee (PAC) funds. According to her website (opens in new tab), she also supports improving education and training (Maine faces a labor shortage), addressing climate change, and protecting reproductive rights. She hosted a "Dinner with Sarah" (opening with a new tab) to talk with Maine residents until the pandemic began, and she still holds distance meetings with her constituents.

This Slate (open in new tab) article does a good job of explaining Maine politics, but in brief, incumbent Senator Susan Collins (a Republican, but always leaning moderate) came out against President Trump in 2016, but since then, she has been a supporter of Brett Kavanaugh's hiring She has supported several of the administration's pro-impeachment moves, including supporting and opposing impeachment; in 2014, she easily won a fourth term and now trails Gideon by 11 points in the polls.

Maine has historically not always been a politically gung-ho state, but 2016 was a wake-up call for many. Today, Collins is the only remaining Republican legislator in New England, and he would not say who he would vote for in this year's presidential election, even when asked very pointedly.

Maine recently elected a Democratic governor, and Gideon raised twice as much money as Collins in the last quarter. The pandemic has made it difficult for Collins to campaign in person, especially since she works in Washington, DC, and Gideon has the advantage (she has spoken at length on social media about the voters she has met). The race is the most expensive in Maine history, with much of the money coming from out of state.

This article will be updated as needed.