PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A group of Maine men who support Christine Blasey Ford spoke at Portland City Hall to send a message to Sen. Susan Collins about the importance of her vote in Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation.

Ford has accused the Supreme Court nominee of sexually assaulting her at a party when they were teenagers decades ago. She’s testifying at a Senate hearing about Kavanaugh’s confirmation Thursday.

An ad hoc coalition of Ford supporters, all men, spoke at City Hall about an hour before the hearing started. One member, former Democratic State Sen. Justin Alfond, says Collins “has a chance to be a champion for this nation” with her vote.

Collins is one of few senators who have yet to make clear how they will vote. She called for Ford to testify last week.