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4d ago

New Polls Put Platner Ahead of Collins as He Dominates Maine Democratic Primary

The surge is pressuring national parties to rethink strategy in a race that could tilt the Senate.

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) enters the U.S. Captiol on January 27, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Democratic Gov. Janet Mills speaks to members of the media in Lewiston, Maine, March 26, 2025. Ms. Mills, who is running for the U.S. Senate, is currently trailing Graham Platner in Democratic primary polling.
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Overview

  • Graham Platner leads Sen. Susan Collins 48% to 39% among likely voters in a new Maine People’s Resource Center poll, with 12% undecided.
  • The same survey shows Platner up 61% to 28% over Gov. Janet Mills in the Democratic primary, echoing Emerson results that found a wide primary gap and a Platner edge over Collins.
  • Janet Mills rolled out a 19-page platform and called for five May debates after earlier TV ads highlighting Platner’s 2013 Reddit posts and a Nazi-linked tattoo did not dent his polling lead.
  • Chuck Schumer’s push for “tested” statewide recruits faces a challenge in Maine as the DSCC aids Mills while Republicans plan at least $42 million in NRSC spending to defend Collins.
  • A Bangor Daily News letter urging a write-in for Andrea LaFlamme signals grassroots frustration with the main choices as Democrats weigh electability against message.