U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) disclosed this week that she has a benign essential tremor, a non-serious neurological condition [1, 2].
The disclosure comes as the 73-year-old senator [1] faces increased online scrutiny and questions regarding her health while seeking a sixth six-year term [3, 4].
Collins said the condition is common and does not affect her memory or cognitive abilities [3]. She has lived with the tremor for nearly 30 years [3].
"The tremor is occasionally inconvenient, and sometimes the subject of cruel comments online, but it does not hinder my ability to work," Collins said [1].
The senator has served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 30 years [5]. She said that the condition is benign and does not interfere with her duties as a senator [2].
Collins made the statements in early May during her re-election campaign in Maine and Washington, D.C. [2, 6]. The condition is characterized as a neurological issue that does not impair the ability to work or maintain cognitive function [1, 3].
“"The tremor is occasionally inconvenient... but it does not hinder my ability to work."”
This disclosure is a strategic move to neutralize health-based attacks during a high-stakes re-election bid. By framing a visible physical symptom as a long-term, benign condition, Collins aims to decouple her physical tremors from her cognitive fitness, a common line of scrutiny for aging political leaders.
