ME-SEN: Platner Has Slight Edge Over Collins in Tight Maine Senate Race, Poll Finds

[RandySF]

Senator Susan Collins and Graham Platner are locked in a neck-and-neck Senate contest in Maine, according to a New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll, as voters weigh a desire for Democratic control of the Senate against Ms. Collins’s record and controversy around Mr. Platner’s past conduct.

Mr. Platner leads the race by two percentage points among likely voters, capturing the support of 49 percent, compared to 47 percent for Ms. Collins. It is a slight advantage, but one that is considered too small for polls to measure reliably, and which could easily grow or shrink as campaigning ramps up.

An oysterman who has never held elected office, Mr. Platner, 41, rode a populist message to the Democratic nomination despite reports about offensive online posts, a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol and his treatment of women. But the poll found that he is failing to attract some voters who otherwise want to see Democrats take power in Washington.

Fifty-four percent of voters said they would like to see Democrats control the Senate next year, a notably higher percentage than the percent of respondents who said they supported Mr. Platner. In fact, Ms. Collins, the Republican, is winning 10 percent of voters who prefer Democratic control.



https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/29/us/politics/collins-platner-maine-senate-poll.html

[SSJVegeta]

1. Collins had a lot of help from democrats lately

Hope that changes

[Emile]

3. So true!

[wolfie001]

6. Remember 'Move On' and why it was founded?

She needs to go. Platner's apologized for his past behavior, and I believe him and I'd vote for him if I lived in Maine! Down with spineless Collins!!!

[Emile]

9. You do know the Maine primary is over, and Platner is our Democratic candidate?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. I agree

[pinkstarburst]

17. I agree. I am not a Maine voter

and if I were a Maine voter, I would hold my nose and vote for him, but we cannot possibly be shocked to discover that there is a percentage of people out there who find his behavior offensive.

The DNC needs better leadership, IMHO, and needs to do a better job of finding quality vetted candidates in every state in every important race like this.

[Emile]

21. The Democratic voters in Maine have selected their candidate. Please stop.

[karynnj]

23. The Democratic leadership did find and persuade a vetted candidate to run

The Maine Democratic voters overwhelmingly supported Platner. They, not part leadership, have the responsibility and power to choose the Democratic nominee.

Reading the op, I wonder if the people for Democratic control of the Senate AND Collins will go with Platner when it comes down to it. The other thing to think of is that pre primary polling did not have Mills doing better against Collins. This might suggest that it is liking Collins that drives that discrepancy as much as disliking Platner.

[Emile]

12. It's happening right here!

[Boo1]

13. You're against primaries?

[aeromanKC]

14. Probably the same ones that voted for Jill Stein.

Ya, how did that work for them?

[Cha]

24. What help? nt

[Deminpenn]

2. Likely voters polls, in my observation, tend to skew a bit right

My suspicion is that Platner is going to pull out the unlikely/infrequent/new voters that the LV models don't capture.

[Omaha Steve]

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[wolfie001]

7. BOOST!!!

[DFW]

8. Not reassuring.

Collins has been so awful and Trump-sucking that I find it downright “concerning” that any poll is this close. The Republican money machine has yet to kick into high gear. A 12 point lead would let me breathe easier. I hope Platner has some skilled campaign advice and some common sense speechwriters. If he trips up badly just once, he may not have the time to regain his lost ground. He has to get it right from here on in if he wants to win this.

[not fooled]

15. You're right.

Unfortunately.

Not a good situation at present considering how awful Collins has been and would continue to be.

[kentuck]

10. Democrats need to go after Susan Collins...

She has been there too long. She doesn't know when to call it quits.

Age doesn't discriminate. It hits us all at some time, if we hang around long enough.

But, she has shown a terrible lack of judgement in her voting over the last several years.

[MineralMan]

16. I'm not surprised.

The fact that Collins has won again and again does have some meaning. Voters tend to stick to candidates they have elected before.

It's difficult to unseat a Senator after a few terms, regardless of party.

And Maine is an odd state in the first place, so odd people can win there.

It's going to take a careful campaign by Platner to win. I hope it works.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

18. Sara Gideon, fwiw, was up by 6 at this point.

[Emile]

19. Isn't she the one who lost to Susan Collins in 2000 by 9% points?

I support our Democratic nominee Graham Platner.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

22. After leading through the whole race, yep.

[lees1975]

20. She was up in an outlier poll.

Ranked choice voting is a factor in her loss. I think it will help Plattner.

[LisaL]

25. I am confused by what you are saying here.

How is ranked choice voting going to help Platner, if there are two people on the ballot: Platner versus Collins.
Ranked choice isn't going to do anything here.