Maine Governor Enters Race For Collins’s Seat in Senate

BY OLIVIA BEAVERS

Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills launched a bid to unseat GOP Sen. Susan Collins, in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Senate races next year.

Mills, the first woman to serve both as governor and attorney general of Maine, was a top recruit for Senate Democrats as they make a long-shot effort to win back the Senate— or at least gain some seats. She is entering a crowded field with more than a half-dozen other declared Democratic candidates, aiming to capitalize on her name recognition and her public sparring with President Trump.

“There are too many politicians in Washington—including Susan Collins—who have forgotten their principles and let bullies like Trump have their way. And it is hurting Maine people,” Mills said in a video announcing her official campaign launch on Tuesday.

Collins, the powerful chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee who was first elected to the Senate in 1996, has proved to be tough to beat despite heavy spending by Democratic challengers in the blue-leaning state. In 2020, she defeated Democrat Sara Gideon by about 9 percentage points.

Mills, 77 years old, could pose a stronger challenge if she becomes the Democratic nominee. She has served two terms as governor and recently clashed with Trump over the state’s policies related to transgender athletes.

As she kicks off her campaign, Mills is seeking to paint herself as the candidate who will stand up to the White House.

Age is also part of the discussion as Mills enters the race against Collins, who is 72. Mills would be the oldest freshman senator if she won the race and took office. She told the Boston Globe she would only serve one term if elected.

Republicans currently hold a 53-47 edge in the Senate, and Maine along with North Carolina are seen as Democrats’ best chances for picking up seats. Cook Political Report, which tracks races nationwide, moved the Maine contest to “toss up” from “lean Republican” after Mills’s announcement.

The announcement is no surprise after the campaign posted the video and then quickly deleted it on Friday. And it comes after months of speculation, which first began building over the viral moment where Trump confronted Mills in February at a gathering of the country’s governors at the White House.

Trump asked whether Mills was going to comply with his executive order related to transgender athletes. Mills replied that she would follow state and federal law. When Trump threatened to withhold federal funding if her state failed to comply, Mills said: “We will see you in court.”

A federal court judge ultimately ordered the administration to unfreeze federal funding for Maine’s child-nutrition programs in April.

Mills didn’t move quickly to launch a bid for Senate, leading other candidates to jump in. Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and progressive candidate, has proved a strong fundraiser. Other candidates include Jordan Wood, who served as former California Rep. Katie Porter’s top aide. Dan Kleban, who co-owns Maine Beer Co., said Tuesday he was suspending his campaign and endorsing Mills.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee released a new digital ad ahead of Mills’s entering the race.

“Janet Mills wants to be the oldest freshman Senator in American history after a record of failure that turned Maine into one of the weakest economies in New England,” NRSC communications director Joanna Rodriguez said.

Collins was among Republicans who voted against the GOP-led Obamacare repeal in 2017, and she sided with Democrats to try to convict Trump in his impeachment trial over the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.