By claiming that Collins becomes a target unless she votes to convict, the Lincoln Project chiding Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republicans for failing to adhere to fairness rings somewhat hollow if the group demands a result before the start of a trial. It also doesn’t align with the admonition of abandoning their oath of office. Demanding that one adheres to the desired outcome is precisely the sort of abandonment they’re criticizing.

That also raises questions about the long game. The notion that either Collins or Gardner is emblematic of “Trumpism” is absurd. What is the point of seeking their defeat in 2020 — mainly since Trump is not a shoo-in for reelection? In my 25 years of covering and being involved in politics, nothing works better in Washington than a divided government. Having two Republican senators in Colorado and Maine with a Democrat in the White House paints a much better picture than having Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren operating with a majority in Congress for at least two years.