Democrats are setting their sights on Maine as a key battleground for a Senate seat, raising the question: will the state part ways with long-serving moderate Republican Susan Collins? Challenger Graham Platner, a 41-year-old marine veteran and oysterman, has generated unusual grassroots energy, but Collins has represented Maine for nearly three decades and built a reputation for bipartisanship.
Collins' Record and Vulnerability
Susan Collins, 73, has styled herself as a moderate conservative who delivers for Maine, even when it means defying Donald Trump. However, national Democrats see her as newly vulnerable, targeting the state as a clear path to reclaiming the Senate. Collins is the only Senate Republican running for re-election in a state that Kamala Harris won in 2024, and this is her first election since Trump returned to the White House, ensuring a nationalized contest shaped by foreign policy, inflation, and domestic issues.
Collins has defied Trump on key votes, including convicting him after the January 6 insurrection and opposing Pete Hegseth for defense secretary. Yet she has also supported many Trump priorities, such as confirming Brett Kavanaugh, which still looms large after the Dobbs decision. Her vote for a national voter-ID bill and delayed backing of a war-powers resolution on Iran have also drawn criticism.
Graham Platner's Rise
Graham Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has amassed rare kinetic energy despite a controversial past, including racist, sexist, and homophobic online posts and a now-covered tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol. Hundreds of Mainers have flocked to his town halls to hear his excoriation of Washington. His rise forced two-term Governor Janet Mills to suspend her primary bid due to dwindling resources.
Platner's youth and outsider profile have created a sense that Maine may be ready for change. One former state Republican official noted, "We like her, and she's been good for Maine, but she's had her time for somebody new or younger." Platner has branded Collins' moderation as complicity, calling her breaks with Trump "symbolic opposition" that don't reopen hospitals or restore abortion rights.
Trump's Role and Polling
Trump, with no viable Republican alternative to Collins, has shifted from attacking her to faint praise, calling her a "good person." However, his blessing could be a liability among libertarian-leaning Maine voters wary of the MAGA wing. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged Collins' independence, saying, "The thing I love about Susan is she is independent because Maine is an independent state."
Early matchups show Collins trailing Platner by single digits, but she has survived poor polling before. The top Senate GOP Super PAC has invested $42 million in the race, with more outside spending expected. Republicans aim to discredit Platner by resurfacing controversies, while more opposition research is anticipated.
Collins' Strategy
Collins is focusing on her record of delivering for Maine, highlighting her seniority as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Her first general election ad emphasized federal funding for a collapsed pier in Eastport rather than attacking Platner. GOP strategist Lance Dutson noted that Maine rewards old-style politics, and Collins' workhorse image could outweigh criticisms. "If I'm in a town of 1,500 people and Susan Collins got us the new fire truck, that's more impactful than her opinion of Trump," he said.
