On health care, education funding, job development, welfare reform, the concerns of seniors, Olympia Snowe has placed herself – and, therefore, Maine – into leading roles in the Senate, seeking practical solutions to large problems and finding compromise between the political parties so that those solutions could be made into law. She is a respected member of the increasingly rare group of moderate voices in Washington, a group Maine would do well to support. She deserves to be re-elected by the voters of this state.

The challenge for Mark Lawrence, her Democratic opponent, was to show how he would serve Maine better and where Sen. Snowe’s voting record fell outside the values of her home state. Mr. Lawrence, the state Senate president, ran a good campaign and a smart campaign, but on only a few issues was he able to show significant differences between her record and his position and never could he point to the senator’s views being something other than what Mainers wanted. The senator’s extraordinary lead in the polls in this race is a good indication of what voters think of her years of service in Congress.

Sen. Snowe was deeply involved in looking for solutions to health coverage problems for seniors before most politicians knew there were issues that needed solving. She has led on such topics as Medicare coverage and reimbursement to hospitals. Several years ago she predicted accurately that patient confidentiality of medical records would become a major concern and introduced appropriate legislation that eventually became part of the patients’ bill of rights. Her input on welfare reform and support for childcare made that major legislation a far more humane and successful change than it otherwise would have been.

Maine’s moderation – preferred in both Democrats and Republicans – comes from a sense of fiscal tight-fistedness and the knowledge that neighbors must help neighbors if a community, a state or a nation is to thrive. Sen. Snowe was an early supporter of the Balanced Budget Amendment, but she has never used it as an excuse to deny people truly in need. A member of Congress for 22 years, she has argued for the limits of government during times of its expansion and, i ability and its obligation to do good.

At a time when ideological differences in the Senate seem to lead inevitably not to compromise but gridlock, Sen. Snowe serves Maine well by being respected by both sides of the aisle. More than ever, the Senate needs leaders who can bring opponents together to accomplish the work of government. Sen. Olympia Snowe fits that description admirably.