Overview
- The statewide primaries will be held on Tuesday, June 9, and will pick nominees for governor, both U.S. House seats and the U.S. Senate.
- Sen. Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term and faces a likely Democratic challenger in Graham Platner if he wins the primary, a race the Cook Political Report calls a toss‑up.
- Platner has surged into front‑runner status with endorsements from major national figures and roughly $16.2 million in reported receipts while Collins has raised about $10.5 million, according to recent FEC filings.
- Platner’s rise has drawn intense scrutiny over past offensive Reddit posts, a tattoo he later covered that critics said resembled a Nazi Totenkopf, and allegations of threatening behavior and explicit texts that his campaign disputes.
- Maine’s ranked‑choice voting and crowded gubernatorial and congressional fields mean second‑choice support could decide several primaries, and outcomes in Maine will shape national spending and Senate control heading into November.