'He's so unattractive, it's unbelievable': Hot mic catches GOP senator joking about congressman who threatened a duel
Republican Sen. Susan Collins was caught on a hot mic Tuesday calling Texas Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold "unattractive" during a legislative session Tuesday morning.
Last week, Farenthold singled out "female senators from the Northeast" as being responsible for hampering the Senate's effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare.
Collins, of Maine, along with West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, have opposed to the Senate's proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare.
Farenthold said that "if it was a guy from south Texas" opposing the legislation, "I might ask him to step outside and settle this Aaron Burr-style."
Collins referenced Farenthold's comments on Tuesday morning while speaking to a male senator during a subcommittee hearing.
"Did you see the one who challenged me to a duel?" Collins asked her colleague.
"I know," he replied. "Trust me - you know why he challenged you to a duel? Because you could beat the s--- out of him."
Collins laughed and added, "He is so unattractive, it's unbelievable."
She later asked her colleague, "Did you see the picture of him in his pajamas next to this bunny?" before the microphone cut off.
Collins was likely referring to this photo:
The other senator wasn't immediately identified, but many reporters on Twitter speculated it was Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democratic member of the subcommittee.