SENATE RACE
Maine
CANDIDATES
Graham Platner
Democrat · Challenger
44.8%
538
vs.
Susan Collins
Republican · Incumbent
47.1%
538
Maine's Senate race pits six-term incumbent Susan Collins against a populist challenger field led by Sanders-endorsed Graham Platner. Collins, once the Senate's most moderate Republican, faces an electorate increasingly skeptical of her hawkish Iran war vote and alignment with Trump-era economics. Platner's grassroots campaign channels economic populism — minimum wage, union protections, Medicare expansion — in a state where cost of living has outpaced wages.
OUTSIDE SPENDING
Pro-D $4.2M
Pro-R $3.8M
Expected to surge after D primary
RECENT POLLS
| Pollster | Date | D% | R% | Spread |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson | 2026-03-15 | 45 | 47 | R+2 |
| PPP | 2026-02-28 | 44 | 48 | R+4 |
| UNH | 2026-02-10 | 43 | 49 | R+6 |
KEY ISSUES
| Issue / Topic | Democrat | Republican |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | Medicare expansion, prescription drug pricing | ACA market reforms, employer-based system |
| Economy | Minimum wage increase, union protections | Tax cuts, deregulation |
| Iran War | De-escalation, negotiate withdrawal timeline | Collins voted for initial authorization; now calls for exit strategy |
CAMPAIGN FINANCE · FEC
Graham Platner
- Raised
- $3.1M
- Spent
- $1.8M
- Cash on Hand
- $1.3M
- Small Donors
- 62%
- PAC / Super PAC
- $0.4M
CAMPAIGN FINANCE · FEC
Susan Collins
- Raised
- $8.2M
- Spent
- $5.1M
- Cash on Hand
- $3.8M
- Small Donors
- 25%
- PAC / Super PAC
- $2.1M
DEMOGRAPHICS · CENSUS
- Population
- 1.39M
- Median Household Income
- $64,767
- White Non-Hispanic
- 93.0%
- Black
- 1.8%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 2.0%
- College Educated (25+)
- 33.4%
- Union Membership
- 11.2%
ELECTION INFO
- Election Date
- November 3, 2026
- Primary Date
- June 9, 2026
- Term Length
- 6 years (Class II)
- Voter Registration Deadline
- October 19, 2026
- Early Voting
- Yes, absentee voting available