AUGUSTA — U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, on Thursday broke from her Republican colleagues on an amendment that, had it passed, would have reversed President Barack Obama’s mandate on contraception insurance coverage. 

In her first key vote since announcing this week that she was abandoning her re-election bid, Snowe voted with Democrats to table the measure.

The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., was defeated 51-48. It would have allowed employers and insurers to opt out of portions of the president’s health care law they found morally objectionable, including a requirement that insurers cover the costs of birth control.

The provision was the latest attempt by lawmakers to undo the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act.

A separate measure seeking to exempt religious organizations from the mandate has been introduced in the House of Representatives. It has eight co-sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine.

The House bill is less sweeping than Blunt’s amendment, which would allow people to “morally object” to just about any part of the health care law. However, the House bill would still exempt religious exemptions from the contraception mandate.

On Thursday U.S. Susan Collins, R-Maine, joined Republicans in supporting the Blunt Amendment. The GOP argued that the contraception mandate is an attack against religious freedom, while Democrats believe rolling back the provision is an attack on women’s right to birth control.Democrats added that the amendment doubled as a sneak attack on the health care law.

But even as she voted with her party, Collins said she hoped the chamber would “move forward to address the many important, pressing issues facing our nation, and stop engaging in what is clearly an election-year ploy.”

Snowe objected to the Blunt legislation because it was too broad. 

A spokesman for Snowe said she would support Florida Republican Sen. Marc Rubio’s bill that targets “specific issues surrounding contraception raised in the president’s regulation.”

During her floor remarks, Collins called Obama’s recent compromise plan on the issue unclear. The president’s plan would require insurance companies — rather than the employers carrying the insurance — to provide contraception coverage. However, Collins said the compromise didn’t adequately address religious institutions that are self-insured.

Collins also referenced an exchange of letters with U.S. Heath and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in which she asked to clarify the issue.

“Sadly, the administration once again skirted the answer,” Collins said from the floor. “In her response, Secretary Sebelius simply said that the president ‘is committed to rule-making to ensure access to these important preventive services.'”

She added, “I asked a key question and I could not get a straight answer. It also demonstrates many of the problems associated with employer mandates.”

Collins said she felt she had to vote for Blunt’s amendment, but hoped that it would be narrowed as it progressed. 

Thursday’s vote was to table the Blunt amendment. Collins voted against the tabling motion. Snowe supported it. 

The contraception debate has emerged as the latest entanglement between the parties that could have election implications, including the race that will determine who replaces Snowe.

Democrats say the GOP is attempting to roll back women’s health care rights by denying access to birth control. 

In a recent interview with the Sun Journal, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, echoed that sentiment when discussing her potential bid for the U.S. Senate.  

On Thursday evening Michaud released a statement applauding the defeat of the Blunt amendment and applauding Obama’s compromise “to address the concerns of religious institutions” about the mandate. 

A spokesman for Michaud said he didn’t yet know if Obama’s compromise efforts were sufficient to get Michaud to withdraw his support for the House contraception bill.

[email protected]