Maine Gov. Mills Suspends U.S. Senate Campaign

Maine Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign for the U.S. Senate on Thursday, clearing the path for Graham Platner to secure the Democratic nomination and challenge Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the November 2026 midterm election.

Mills, a two-term governor who entered the race at the urging of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, cited a lack of financial resources as the primary reason for her decision. "While I have the drive and the passion, commitment and experience, and above all else the fight to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns require today: the financial resources," she said in a statement. She pledged to remain focused on her duties as governor for the next eight months, vowing to "continue working hard" for Maine residents and defending the state's interests.

Recent polls showed Mills trailing Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer, military veteran and political newcomer, by double digits, with some surveys indicating leads of 20 to 30 points ahead of the June 9 Democratic primary. Platner raised $4 million in the first three months of 2026 alone, fueling his grassroots surge driven by strong online support....