A new poll of the Maine Senate Democratic primary showed Graham Platner with a lead over Governor Janet Mills as the two candidates compete to take on GOP Senator Susan Collins in what is expected to be one of the closest races of the 2026 midterms.
Newsweek reached out to the Platner and Mills campaigns for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Democrats are hoping to topple Collins, a long-term incumbent who has been popular in Maine despite its Democratic lean. The primary race between Mills and Platner has divided Democrats. Some believe Mills, who has won statewide by comfortable margins in both her 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial bids, would be the strongest candidate to take on Collins. Others, however, believe Platner is a candidate who represents a new generation of leadership and would be a stronger contrast against Collins next November.
Maine is likely a must-win for Democrats, who are facing a challenging Senate map. Collins is the only Republican up for reelection in a state carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris next year. Only one GOP-held seat in a state President Donald Trump won by single-digits is up—the North Carolina seat vacated by Republican Senator Thom Tillis.
With Republicans having a 53-47 Senate majority, the math means Democrats must win both of those states and more solidly conservative states to win a majority.
What to Know
The poll from Z to A Research showed Platner with a double-digit lead over Mills in the Democratic primary. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they would vote for Platner, while 38 percent said they were supporting Mills.
Platner’s support was strongest among respondents younger than 50 years old—77 percent of whom said they would vote for him over Mills.
Mills was viewed favorably by 69 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 20 percent. Platner, on the other hand, was viewed favorably by 63 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 15 percent. It surveyed 1,482 likely midterm voters from November 14-18.
The polling report did not include any general election matchups.
Both candidates have already drawn national support. Mills has received support from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, as well as Democratic Governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan. Platner received endorsements from progressives including Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, and Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat.
Polling on the primary has been mixed, with the most recent poll from Maine People’s Research Center pointing to a closer race.
It showed Platner up only two points over Mills (41 percent to 39 percent), with nearly 20 percent either backing another candidate or saying they were undecided. It surveyed 783 Maine voters from October 26-29 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
A poll from SoCal Research Center showed Mills up 5 points (41 percent to 36 percent). It surveyed 500 likely primary voters from October 21-25.
Platner has faced backlash over a series of scandals surrounding old Reddit posts about sexual abuse survivors and rural white Americans, as well as his tattoo resembling the Totenkopf, or “death’s head,” a symbol adopted by Nazis.
Platner has apologized for the posts and tattoo. He told the Associated Press he had covered the tattoo and said he was unaware the symbol was linked to Nazism. He told CNN the posts were “very much me f****** around the internet.”
What People Are Saying
Senator Bernie Sanders responded to Platner’s social media posts in an October interview with Axios: “What he did was he expressed his darkness on the internet. Probably not a brilliant thing to do, alright? And he said things that are stupid, things that were hurtful. He has apologized for them.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Mills in a social media post: “As a Democratic governor with a record of getting stuff done, @janetmillsforme is the right choice to defeat Susan Collins and hold Republicans accountable in D.C.”
What Happens Next
Maine’s primary is set to take place on June 9, 2026. Forecasters view the race as competitive, with both the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball classifying the race as a toss-up.
