Overview
- Janet Mills released an ad titled “Thirty years of concern. Never enough courage,” using clips of Susan Collins saying she is “concerned” to argue the senator has not stood up to President Donald Trump on healthcare, affordability, and immigration enforcement.
- Susan Collins formally opened her bid for a sixth term and defends her record by emphasizing seniority and results, citing $425 million secured for 156 Maine projects and her role in ending the recent partial government shutdown.
- Mills sharpened her critique by calling Collins “seniority without backbone” and asserting that Collins backed Trump’s agenda 94% of the time, a claim presented by the Mills campaign.
- Democrats face a competitive June primary that includes Graham Platner, with reporting noting polls that show him performing better in hypothetical matchups against Collins even as Mills is widely viewed as the more formidable statewide contender.
- Trump’s relationship with Collins looms over the race, as Democrats tie her to his policies and highlight her confirmation vote for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, while Collins points to breaks with Trump and says she pressed Noem to halt a surge of immigration agents in Maine.