Susan Collins has introduced a useful new unit of political achievement: the outcome-adjacent accomplishment. Nothing changes, but please acknowledge how close it came to becoming a different press release.

At Maine’s October 15 Senate debate, Axios reports, the moderator asked Collins when opposing President Trump had changed an outcome. She cited organizing opposition to Pete Hegseth’s nomination, then said a Republican colleague changed his mind. Hegseth was confirmed, as AP also reports. According to Axios, the moderator noted that the result had not changed.

In the language of the campaign résumé, this is leadership with the results removed for easier portability. An ordinary applicant might list a completed project. The senator offers a project that would have been completed if someone else had completed it differently.

The distinction is not whether Collins opposed the nomination. It is whether opposition and success are interchangeable words. They are not, although the campaign would appreciate it if the dictionary could remain undecided through November.

Coming soon to the achievement section: a ribbon-cutting for the bridge that nearly crossed the river. Please gather on the same bank.