Published by TrenBuzz.com | June 10, 2026 | BREAKING ELECTION NIGHT
Key Points at a Glance – Graham Platner Defeats Janet Mills in Maine Senate Primary
- Graham Platner won Maine’s Democratic Senate primary Tuesday night, defeating suspended candidate Janet Mills.
- Susan Collins ran unopposed on the Republican side and easily advanced to the general election.
- Platner prevailed despite controversies over a Nazi tattoo, sexually explicit texts with multiple women, and deleted Reddit posts.
- Mills suspended her campaign in April but remained on the ballot, reminding voters she was still an option.
- A UMass Lowell poll before the primary showed Platner holding a slim lead over Collins in a general election matchup.
- Platner opened his victory speech with immediate attacks on Collins, calling her the “deciding vote” on Kavanaugh.
He had a Nazi tattoo. He sent explicit texts to women while married. He deleted Reddit posts mocking wounded soldiers. And on Tuesday night, Maine’s Democratic voters chose him anyway.
Liberal upstart Graham Platner won Maine’s Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday night, defeating Maine Gov. Janet Mills weeks after the more establishment-backed pick ended her campaign.
Why Platner Won Despite Every Controversy
Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer running in his first political race, faced little Democratic competition as two-term Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign after she failed to gain traction. She still appeared on the primary ballot. The Senate election has already become a battleground over the future of the Democratic Party and what voters think is most important, as Platner faces numerous controversies about his past conduct.
Collins vs. Platner: Democrats’ Top Midterm Prize
Republican Sen. Susan Collins is the only GOP senator representing a state carried in 2024 by Kamala Harris, making her perhaps Democrats’ top target in the 2026 midterms after years of winning blue-leaning Maine.
A UMass Lowell poll published just days before the primary showed Platner holding a slight lead over Collins in a general election matchup. Collins, however, sat atop a larger war chest as of May 20, 2026.
Platner Opens the General Election Firing on Collins
Platner started the general election with a series of stinging attacks on Collins at a victory speech in Blue Hill, Maine. The Democrat cast her as the “deciding vote” on Republican priorities including Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh‘s confirmation.
Maine’s most consequential Senate race in a generation just officially began. The oyster farmer with a troubled past versus one of the most resilient incumbents in American politics. November cannot come fast enough.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational and news reporting purposes only. All primary results and quotes are sourced from the Washington Post, NBC News, PBS News, and NewsNation as of June 9, 2026. Results are unofficial pending certification by Maine election authorities. TrenBuzz.com does not endorse any political candidate or party. Readers are encouraged to follow the Maine Secretary of State for certified results.