PORTLAND, Maine — Progressive Democrat Graham Platner won Maine’s Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate this month, securing the party’s nomination in one of the country’s most closely watched races and setting up a November contest against Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, according to election results reported by the Associated Press and Maine election officials.
Platner, an oyster farmer, military veteran and political newcomer from coastal Maine, defeated a field that included Gov. Janet Mills, who had suspended her campaign earlier in the race but remained on the ballot. The primary was held on June 9 as voters across the state selected nominees for federal and statewide offices.
Democrats view the Maine Senate race as a key opportunity in their effort to gain seats in Congress. Collins, a Republican seeking another term, advanced without opposition in the GOP primary and is expected to face a competitive general election campaign.
Platner’s campaign focused heavily on economic issues, including the rising cost of living and concerns about political influence in Washington. His candidacy also attracted national attention because of his outsider profile and a series of controversies that became a focal point during the primary campaign. Platner has denied allegations and criticisms raised by opponents and argued that voters should focus on his policy platform and message.
Speaking to supporters after the result became clear, Platner pledged to challenge Collins in the general election. “We’re going to change the world,” he said in a video message released as polls closed.
The Senate contest is expected to draw national attention because Maine remains politically competitive. The state has elected both Democrats and Republicans to statewide office in recent years, and the race could become one of the most closely watched Senate campaigns of the 2026 election cycle.
Elsewhere in Maine’s primary elections, voters selected nominees for governor and congressional races, including the open contest in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, another closely contested battleground. Maine’s ranked-choice voting system was used in several races where no candidate initially secured majority support.
As of June 20, Platner remains the Democratic nominee for Senate and Collins the Republican nominee. Both campaigns have shifted their focus to the November general election, where voters will decide who will represent Maine in the U.S. Senate.
