Longtime bachelorette Sen. Collins engaged

Wedding bells will soon be ringing for Sen. Susan Collins.

The Maine Republican is engaged to Thomas Daffron, 73, the chief operating officer for the D.C.-based Jefferson Consulting Group.

According to the consulting group’s website, Daffron served as chief of staff to former Sens. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) and William Cohen (R-Maine). He was also a speechwriter for the late Sen. Charles Percy (R-Ill.), a campaign manager for former GOP presidential candidate Elizabeth Dole, and a consultant during all three of Collins’ Senate campaigns.

Collins, 59, has never been married. 

Kevin Kelley, a spokesman for Collins wrote in a statement to ITK, “Senator Collins and Mr. Daffron are very happy and they look forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion with their families.”

The junior senator tells the Bangor Daily News the couple is planning a summer wedding in Maine, but says it’s been tricky setting an exact date: “I’m trying to figure out the recess schedule, and when we could get married and go on a honeymoon. It’s not easy to figure out. But it’s obviously very important. I hope people will understand if I take a little time off.”