Susan Collins has been the Democratic Party's number one target for years—and the 2026 race is no different. The Republican senator from Maine, seeking a sixth term, faces what could be her toughest fight yet.
Standing in her way is Graham Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer who has already forced two-term Governor Janet Mills out of the race. Mills, backed by Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, dropped out after trailing Platner in both fundraising and polling.
Platner brings heavyweight endorsements from progressive champions Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. He's running on an economic populist platform, railing against corporate power and promising to fight for working-class families.
But Collins isn't holding back. Asked if Platner is too far left for Maine voters, she replied: "I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters. But obviously I don't take anything for granted."
A Republican group supporting Collins is already airing ads targeting Platner's controversial past. Among the baggage: Reddit comments from 2013 suggesting people shouldn't "get so f---ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don't mean to," and a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol.
Platner apologized for the posts after they surfaced last fall. He says he got the skull-and-crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia—and covered it up after learning it looked like a Nazi symbol.
Collins won't fully reveal her campaign strategy, but she's clear on one point: "I'm going to be contrasting my record of achievement and accomplishments with Graham Platner's approach." She added, "I'm hoping we can have a campaign that is civil."
Platner fires back that Collins is part of a "broken Washington" and a generation of politicians who have failed ordinary Americans. He calls her moderate image a "charade," pointing to her support for Donald Trump's agenda and accusing her of prioritizing billionaires over people.
The political headwinds are fierce for Republicans. Persistent inflation, rising gas prices, and an unpopular war with Iran have tanked Trump's approval ratings—and Collins knows she'll be blamed.
But she points to her work on the Low Income Home Heating Assistance Program, which helps Maine families and seniors stay warm. "I just recently made sure the final tranche of money was released," she said, noting the high cost of living in her state.
Collins also emphasized her opposition to cuts in food stamp benefits. She was speaking at a food bank that expanded thanks to federal funding she helped secure—a food bank that now serves more than 1,000 families every week.
The path for Democrats to retake the Senate runs straight through Maine. And Collins knows Schumer is already preparing another avalanche of attack ads—$160 million worth in the last election alone. "He's already doing that now," she said.
"Fortunately," Collins added, "the people of Maine are smart, and they know lies and distortions when they see it."
