Another senator adds her name to the diminutive but growing list of Republicans legislators who support marriage equality. Although, Senator Collins' announcement does not come as a surprise as she has supported various LGBT legislations.

Since the Bush presidency, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has broken away from the Republican stance and backed equality for LGBT people. In 2004 and 2006, when constitutional amendments banning marriage equality appeared in the Senate, she voted against them. She also supported the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and voted in favor of ENDA, which would make discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation illegal.

Because of her support for gay rights, the Human Rights Campaign announced their support for Sen. Collins on Wednesday just hours before Collins announced her support for marriage equality.

"A number of states, including my home state of Maine, have now legalized same-sex marriage, and I agree with that decision," Collins said in response to a question from the Bangor Daily News. "Nearly 44 percent of Americans live in a state where same-sex couples can be legally married, and I believe this number will only continue to grow," she added after.

With this announcement, Collins joins the short list of Republican senators who support marriage equality, including Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Collins always argued that the matter of same-sex marriage should be one for states to decide. Her own home state first passed a ban through a popular referendum but then three years later, in 2012, they approved same sex-marriage, becoming the first state to do so through a referendum.

Collins decision to announce her support for marriage equality comes at an opportune time since she is up for reelection this coming November and her Democratic opponent, Shenna Bellows, was a key player in the 2012 same sex referendum. Bellows argues Collins should have made her position clear sooner.

"My opponent's voice on marriage equality could have made a real difference in 2012, when this was up for a vote in Maine," she said. "At that time, I was organizing Republicans for the Freedom to Marry, and we invited Susan Collins to endorse the campaign. She declined."

In their statement, the HRC President Chad Griffin said:

"Senator Susan Collins has played a pivotal role in advancing support for LGBT equality -- from her dogged support for the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," to her critical vote for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act last year, to her proud support for marriage equality. HRC is proud to stand with Senator Collins, and with allies on both sides of the aisle like her, because she firmly believes that every American should be evaluated based on their abilities, and not who they love."