Graham Platner Becomes Democratic Front-Runner in Maine Senate Race After Janet Mills Withdraws

Gov. Janet Mills announced Thursday that she is ending her campaign for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. Susan Collins. With Mills out, progressive oyster farmer Graham Platner, 41, now stands as the presumptive Democratic nominee and is expected to clear the June 9 primary.

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Mills entered the race late last year after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer recruited her. Her campaign lagged in fundraising and polling, trailing Platner by about 30 points in Decision Desk HQ averages, and age-related concerns plus a stance on Israel defense funding contributed to her withdrawal.

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Decision Desk HQ shows Platner leading Mills by 30 points in the Democratic primary. The Cook Political Report rates the Collins-Platner contest as a toss-up. Collins won re-election in 2020 by ten points; Trump lost Maine by about seven points in 2024.

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Democrats need a net gain of four Senate seats to take control of the chamber. The Maine seat, held by Republicans since 1979, is viewed as a must-win, with the Collins-Platner race among only three national toss-ups.

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Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Collins is especially vulnerable and pledged to work with Platner. The Democratic National Committee said it will allocate resources to defeat Collins. RNC spokesperson Kristen Cianci called Platner a “Nazi-sympathizing self-proclaimed communist,” and Sen. Tim Scott said Democrats “coronated a phony.”

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Republicans highlighted Platner’s past social-media posts dismissing police and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, labeling him a hate-monger. A Democratic strategist warned an outsider could struggle against a well-known incumbent, reflecting intra-party doubts about his electability.

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Mills did not formally endorse Platner, though she praised him. Polls show his strong primary lead, yet hypothetical general-election match-ups suggest a tighter race. Mills’ name will stay on the June 9 ballot, leaving uncertainty about residual votes.

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• “The base couldn’t have spoken more clearly,” — Christy Setzer, Democratic strategist

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• “It seems like Mills was talked into running by Chuck Schumer, by those other people, and for some of those young Platner supporters, that was a real negative,” — Jim Melcher, political-science professor

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• “It’s safe to say we are confident going into Election Day,” — Kristen Cianci, RNC spokesperson

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• “never been more vulnerable” — Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader (joint statement)

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Early voting for Maine’s ranked-choice primaries begins May 11, and the Democratic primary is set for June 9. Though Mills’ name remains on the ballot, Platner is expected to secure the nomination and face Collins in the November general election.

The Hill