APRIL 30, 2026

Maine Governor Janet Mills withdraws from Democratic Senate primary, leaving Graham Platner as front-runner against Susan Collins

Maine Governor Janet Mills announced Thursday that she is withdrawing from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, citing insufficient fundraising as the reason for her exit. Her departure leaves political newcomer Graham Platner as the front-runner in the Democratic primary to challenge incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Mills announced her withdrawal in a statement posted on X. "While I have the drive and 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 unfortunately require today: the financial resources," Mills wrote, according to Fox News.

Mills had entered the race with substantial institutional backing. According to Fox News, she received endorsements from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and prominent Democratic groups when she launched her campaign last year. The New York Times reported that her exit reflects broader currents within the party, including energy on the left and voter unease with older candidates.

Platner, described by Fox News as a political newcomer, had received endorsements from Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ruben Gallego, and Martin Heinrich, according to that outlet. The New York Times described his rise as the path now cleared toward a general election against Collins.