Overview
- Graham Platner leads Gov. Janet Mills 55% to 28% after Thursday’s Emerson College Poll release, with 13% undecided in a survey of 1,075 likely voters that carries a 2.9-point margin of error.
- The poll finds both Democrats narrowly ahead of Republican Sen. Susan Collins in hypothetical matchups, with Platner up 48% to 41% and Mills up 46% to 43%.
- Emerson reports Collins is viewed unfavorably by 57% of voters, Mills by 54%, and Platner’s ratings are more mixed, including a slight net positive among independents at 41% favorable to 35% unfavorable.
- Mills’ recent TV ads hit Platner’s decade-old Reddit comments and a now-covered skull-and-bones tattoo, yet AdImpact tracking shows her buys were smaller as Platner put more money on air.
- Platner apologized and framed the controversy as personal growth at a rural town hall, while a leaked Hancock County Democrats meeting showed some voters pushing back on the negative ads ahead of the June 9 primary.