Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has long been able to defy political gravity, winning re-election in a solidly blue state even as Republicans lose nationwide — thanks to her long relationships with locals in the state and her tendency to oppose some of President Donald Trump's worst excesses. But she may face her toughest challenge yet.
This week, the Democratic Senate primary in Maine got an unexpected entrant in political newcomer Graham Platner, who has never held elected office before and served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He describes himself as a "veteran, oysterman, and working class Mainer who’s seen this state become unlivable for working people."
His launch video saw him railing against “billionaires and corrupt politicians profiting off and destroying our environment, driving our families into poverty and crushing the middle class."
"I'm not fooled by this fake charade of Collins' deliberations and moderation. The difference between Susan Collins and Ted Cruz is at least Ted Cruz is honest about selling us out and not giving a damn," said Platner.
While Platner is untested in the political field, conservative analyst Sean Trende noted on X that this is the type of campaign that just might not have any easy counters by Collins if it gets going.
"We haven’t seen how he holds up as an actual candidate, but Collins is at her core an old establishment R in a state whose Republican base is now more working class and populist," wrote Trende. "On paper, this type of candidate seems really dangerous to that pairing."
So far, few notable other names have entered the Maine Senate primary on the Democratic side. Jordan Wood, a staffer to former progressive Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), is also running, as is David Costello, a former USAID worker who challenged independent Sen. Angus King last year.
Part of the reason for the lack of entrants appears to be uncertainty over whether retiring Gov. Janet Mills will enter the race. As a longtime fixture in Maine politics, she would be a strong candidate for Democrats on paper; however, she is also in her late 70s and reportedly isn't sure whether she wants to commit to a campaign.
Watch the launch video below or at the link here.