Snowe, in the City of Brotherly Love, sees difficult environment for Republicans

U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe: Getty Images PhotoPHILADELPHIA – U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe acknowledged here today that Senate Republicans faced a difficult environment heading into the fall’s elections.

“Obviously it is a challenging climate,” she said. “Obviously it is real raw and it is challenging.”

Snowe, a three-term Republican Senator from Maine who is known for having an independent streak, suggested that Republican candidates could best weather the storm by communicating to voters what they have accomplished.

Snowe pointed to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who is facing a re-election challenge from Democrat U.S. Rep. Tom Allen. Recent polls have shown Collins with a commanding lead.

“(Collins) is independent-minded in her approach and is working on the issues that are important to the state,” said Snowe. “People reward that.”

The 2008 cycle has been seen as bad one for Republicans. The non-partisan Cook Political Report currently ranks six Republican-held Senate seats are at risk. Cook places only one Democrat-held seat in the at risk category.

Snowe is in town for the National Governors Association meeting, a gathering of the nation’s current and former governors. Snowe’s husband, John R. McKernan, served two terms as governor of Maine.