Maine Governor’s Senate Campaign Announcement Causes stir
Maine’s Democratic Governor, Janet Mills, seemed to kick off her Senate campaign on Friday, only to quickly delete the announcement. In a now-removed video, the 77-year-old said, “Do you want the Democrats to take back the Senate? I’m Governor Janet Mills, and I’m running to turn Maine’s Senate seat blue.”
During the clip, she criticized incumbent Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, claiming Collins “sold out Maine” and aligned too closely with “special interests and Donald Trump. That’s over.”
She encouraged supporters to contribute to her ActBlue page, which has also been taken down.
Mills highlighted her integrity on her donation page: “I’ve spent my career standing up for Maine families as a prosecutor, attorney general, and governor. I’ve battled Big Pharma, expanded healthcare access, and took Donald Trump to court—and won.”
Collins Responds to PAC Ads
After the announcement was erased, reactions flooded social media. Joanna Rodriguez from the National Republican Senatorial Committee commented, “At 4:30 pm on a Friday before the holidays, Janet Mills confirmed she was running for Senate in a now-deleted tweet. Poor digital staff is about to be fired!”
Political commentator Jack Cocchiarella chimed in with skepticism, pointing out, “If you think Democratic politics lacks uncharismatic, older candidates, just wait until 77-year-old Janet Mills is nominated for the Senate. She posted this launch video and deleted it two hours later.”
Many have anticipated Mills’ announcement, as she’s considered a potential candidate favored by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Top Senate Democrats see her as a strong contender to unseat Collins, the only Republican senator in the state up for re-election next year, and a key figure in the battle for Senate control.
Mills Faces Competitive Primary
However, before even thinking about the general election, Mills must navigate a challenging and potentially divisive primary against rivals, including a younger up-and-comer backed by prominent progressive allies like Senator Bernie Sanders.
Mills made history as Maine’s first female attorney general and was elected as the state’s first female governor in 2018, securing re-election in 2022 by defeating former Republican Governor Paul LePage. Now, although she stands as a likely front-runner for the Democratic nomination due to her strong profile in the state, she might face serious competition from Graham Platner, a 41-year-old Marine and oyster farmer who has been campaigning since August and has raised over $3 million in just weeks.
Bernie Sanders publicly endorsed Platner, suggesting, “Graham Platner is a great working-class candidate for the Maine Senate who will defeat Susan Collins,” warning Mills to watch out.
Some Democratic leaders, including Sanders, have expressed concern over Mills’ candidacy. “We need to focus on winning that seat and not waste millions of dollars in an unnecessary and divisive primary,” he added.
Other names in the mix for the Democratic nomination include Dan Kleban, who co-founded Maine Beer Co., and Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer who garnered about $3 million in the last quarter. Phil Wrench, a former engineer at SpaceX, is running as an independent.
Collins has been a fixture in the Senate since 1996, winning re-election multiple times by significant margins.
