PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Sen. Susan Collins has joined fellow Maine Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe in pledging her support for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

Collins announced her decision Tuesday. She says she concluded that Sotomayor “understands the proper rule of a judge” and is committed to applying the law “impartially without bias or favoritism.”

She also says she doesn’t think Sotomayor will try to “usurp the legislative authority of the Congress and the executive authority of the President.” Last week Snowe said that “barring any unforeseen circumstances” she plans to vote for Sotomayor, as well.