Maine Gov. Janet Mills drops out of Senate race, clearing path for Graham Platner to challenge Susan Collins

Apr 30, 2026

Maine Gov. Janet Mills has suspended her Senate campaign, citing a lack of funds and clearing the path for military veteran Graham Platner to win the Democratic nomination. Mills, 78, was the establishment choice but trailed the 41-year-old Platner in polls. Platner now faces incumbent Republican Susan Collins in a critical race for Democrats' hopes of controlling the Senate, a contest expected to be one of the nation's most expensive.

Mills campaign withdrawal

▪In a joint statement, Chuck Schumer and DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand promised to support Graham Platner's campaign against Susan Collins.
▪Mills's withdrawal makes Graham Platner the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
▪At the end of March 2026, Mills's campaign had just over $1 million in the bank, while Graham Platner's had $2.7 million.
▪Mills's campaign had been recruited by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and was backed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
▪Following the announcement, Sen. Susan Collins thanked Gov. Mills for her decades of public service to Maine.
▪Mills stated that she was dropping out because her campaign lacked the necessary financial resources.
▪Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced on April 30, 2026, that she was suspending her campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Mills age concerns

▪At 78, Janet Mills's age was a concern for some Democratic voters, with her opponent Graham Platner being 41.
▪If elected, Mills would have been 79 when sworn in, which would have made her the oldest first-time senator in U.S. history.
▪Mills had pledged to serve only one term in the Senate, in an effort to quell concerns about her age.

Platner working-class appeal

▪Platner's campaign was noted for its grassroots energy, holding numerous town halls and connecting personally with voters.
▪Platner received endorsements from prominent progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
▪A March 2026 Emerson College poll showed Platner leading Mills by 27 points in the Democratic primary.
▪Graham Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer and veteran of the Army and Marine Corps, was a political newcomer.

Platner tattoo controversy

▪Graham Platner faced controversy for an old tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he later covered up.

Anti-establishment sentiment in Maine

▪Some Maine Democratic voters expressed resentment at national party leaders like Chuck Schumer attempting to "anoint" a candidate for them.

Collins reelection strengths

▪The Maine Senate seat is a top target for Democrats, as Susan Collins is the only Republican senator from a state won by the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024.
▪As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Collins has directed large amounts of federal funding to projects in Maine.
▪At age 73, Susan Collins has indicated that the 2026 race will be her final campaign for the Senate.
▪In the 2020 election, Susan Collins won reelection by 9 percentage points despite polls showing her trailing her Democratic opponent.