Senator Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term in Maine. Graham Platner won the Democratic primary on 9 June 2026 after Governor Janet Mills suspended her campaign, then withdrew in July after a sexual assault allegation he denies. Maine Democrats chose former state Senate President Troy Jackson, who met Collins in four October debates.
August 2025 to 30 October 2026 · 21 dated events · 28 sources
Status in the record · 2 November 2026
Collins and Jackson are the only candidates printed on the 3 November ballot, with six declared write-in candidates. Because of the write-ins, the Associated Press said ranked-choice voting applies, and the count moves to further rounds if no candidate wins a majority of first choices. Polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Coverage through30 October 2026Editorial review2 November 2026
delegate votes for Troy Jackson566Maine Democratic Party
raised by Jackson in the third quarter$20.4mCampaign figure reported by AP
October debates46 to 15 October 2026
Timeline of events
Overview · Aug 2025 to 30 Oct 2026 · click a dot to jump
21 events shown
2025
Aug 2025
Start
Graham Platner launches a Senate campaign
Graham Platner, an oyster farmer and military veteran, began a campaign for the Democratic nomination to challenge Senator Susan Collins in August 2025, Roll Call reported. Senator Bernie Sanders endorsed him, Maine Public reported.
Governor Janet Mills enters the Democratic primary
Governor Janet Mills announced a campaign for the Senate seat, joining a primary field of more than half a dozen candidates that included Platner and Jordan Wood, a former House aide. Maine Public reported that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had recruited her, and The Washington Times said she had his support.
“My life's work has prepared me for this fight and I'm ready to win.”Janet Mills, Maine Public and NPR (via GPB)
Platner covers a tattoo and apologises for past online posts
Platner said he had covered a tattoo after learning it resembled an insignia of Hitler's SS, the Associated Press reported. He apologised for past online posts. Primary rival Jordan Wood said Platner should leave the race.
“I am ashamed of things I once said. But I am not ashamed of who I am today”Graham Platner, Associated Press (via KPTV)
Senator Susan Collins announced her reelection campaign in a short video posted online, WGME reported. Collins, first elected in 1996, is the only Republican senator from New England and chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Associated Press reported.
Mills suspended her Senate campaign, citing a lack of money, according to the Associated Press, Maine Public and The Washington Times. Maine Public reported that she had largely stopped running advertisements in mid April and that Collins issued a brief statement thanking her for her service. Her name stayed on the primary ballot.
Platner wins the Democratic primary and Collins is unopposed
Platner won the Democratic Senate primary over Mills, who remained on the ballot, and David Costello, a former Maryland government official. Collins was unopposed for the Republican nomination, the Associated Press reported.
In his victory speech Platner acknowledged mistakes and said it was his job to earn back voters' trust, the Associated Press reported. Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith backed him, while Representative Josh Gottheimer told CNN that Platner should leave the ballot.
AdImpact projects nearly 400 million dollars in Senate race spending
The ad tracking firm AdImpact projected nearly 400 million dollars in spending on the Senate race, part of nearly half a billion dollars in political advertising across all Maine contests, Maine Public reported. In October the Boston Globe, citing The New York Times, said the race was on track for 400 million dollars in spending.
$400 million AdImpact projection of Senate race spending for the 2026 cycle, nearly this amount, reported by Maine Public on 15 June 2026Maine PublicThe Boston Globe
A former girlfriend accuses Platner of sexual assault
Politico published an allegation by a former girlfriend that Platner sexually assaulted her in 2021, Maine Morning Star and the Associated Press reported. Platner denied the allegation. Senator Bernie Sanders withdrew his support after the allegation, and key supporters called on Platner to withdraw, AP reported.
“The things that have been claimed did not happen.”Graham Platner, Maine Morning Star (via News From The States)
In a social media video, Platner said he had suspended campaign operations and intended to file paperwork to withdraw, Maine Morning Star reported. He repeated that the allegation was false, said stepping aside was not an admission of guilt and blamed the political establishment and corporate media.
“Accusations are supposed to be the beginning of things, not the end.”Graham Platner, Maine Morning Star (via News From The States)
Platner submitted paperwork to formally withdraw, which the Secretary of State's office received that afternoon, the Associated Press reported. AP said he was facing an allegation of sexual assault that he has denied. The Maine Democratic Party set a nominating convention for 25 July with 601 delegates, ahead of a 27 July deadline under state law.
“voted for a new kind of politics”Graham Platner, letter to the Secretary of State, Associated Press (via WTOP)
Several candidates, including former state Senate President Troy Jackson, entered after Platner withdrew. By 19 July most had dropped out, leaving women's health company chief executive Saundra Pelletier as Jackson's only remaining rival, the Associated Press reported. Delegates were elected at county meetings that the party said drew more than 20,000 Democrats.
Maine Democrats choose Troy Jackson as their nominee
Delegates meeting in Bangor chose Jackson, a logger and former state Senate president who finished third in the June governor primary, as the party's Senate nominee, the Associated Press reported. The party said he received 566 votes. Jackson supports Medicare for All and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AP reported.
“We're not from the left, we're not from the right. We're from the bottom, and we are rising”Troy Jackson, Associated Press (via WPXI)
Six write-in candidates trigger ranked-choice counting
Only Collins and Jackson are printed on the Senate ballot, with a write-in line. Six people declared as write-in candidates: Brent Andrews, Sigrid Ann Olson, Gina Oswald, Joseph Steinberger, Mike Turcotte and Ashley Webb, Maine Morning Star and the Bangor Daily News reported. Platner did not declare as a write-in. The Associated Press said the declared write-ins mean ranked-choice voting applies to the race.
At the first debate, Jackson highlighted Collins's procedural vote to advance the 2025 tax and spending bill. AP reported that she voted against its final passage. Collins defended her independence from President Trump and the resources she had secured for Maine, while Jackson challenged her record on affordability and tariffs.
In the second debate, on WMTW, Jackson accused Collins of profiting from the Iran war. Collins called the claim outrageous and demanded an apology, which Jackson did not give, WGME and Newsweek reported. The candidates also debated heating costs, abortion and the future of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“That is absolutely outrageous, and you owe me an apology”Susan Collins, Newsweek
The third debate, hosted by WABI and WAGM, covered the Iran war, tariffs on Canada, data centers and heating oil costs, the Boston Globe and Portland Press Herald reported. Collins said Jackson had repeatedly insulted her integrity during the evening.
“I agree that the president did not have a good plan”Susan Collins, on the Iran war, The Boston Globe
Jackson and Collins reported raising 20.4 million dollars and 5.2 million dollars respectively in the third quarter, the Associated Press reported, citing their campaigns. The Bangor Daily News reported that Jackson submitted his first quarterly FEC report minutes before the final debate.
$20.4 million raised by the Jackson campaign in the third quarter of 2026, per its FEC report as reported by the Bangor Daily News, with AP citing the campaign🇺🇸 MaineAssociated Press (via PBS NewsHour)Bangor Daily News
At the fourth debate, held before a live audience at the Gracie Theater in Bangor, a protester opposed to data centers interrupted Collins, who called him one of Jackson's supporters, the Associated Press reported. Jackson told her to shut up and said he did not know the protester. The Maine Republican Party called the remark unacceptable behavior in a social media post, and Jackson's campaign declined to comment.
“What I know is that 100% of the time when Donald Trump goes to Susan Collins for a vote, he gets it”Troy Jackson, Associated Press (via PBS NewsHour)
Since 1 September pro-Collins spending had exceeded pro-Jackson spending on advertising by 65 million dollars to 55 million dollars, including outside spending, according to AdImpact data cited by the Associated Press. AP said Jackson had far outraised Collins since July.
$65 million advertising by pro-Collins groups since 1 September 2026, per AdImpact as reported by AP on 30 October 2026Associated Press (via La Nacion)
Coverage through 30 October 2026. Editorial review: 2 November 2026. Spotted an error? See corrections. Copyright concerns: report an asset. Every event links to its sources. Source type does not establish whether a claim is true.
