Published: September 8, 2025
On August 19, 40-year-old Graham Platner, a political outsider, launched his Senate campaign for Susan Collins’ seat. Nine days later, he announced that his campaign had raised over $1 million. Since he launched his bid for senate, Platner has received a surge in popularity and interest, in-part due to his messaging. The Democratic Party has struggled recently, and particularly since Trump won the 2024 election. They have seen a significant decline in young voters who identify with the old guard Democrats and struggled to form a resistance to Trump after he entered the White House. Platner is an oyster farmer, harbormaster, and marine veteran who lives and grew up in the small town of roughly 1,200 people, Sullivan. Platner has partially based his campaign on criticisms of Susan Collins’ “moderate facade,” linking her to unfair political systems that favor the wealthy. Platner has rallied against the status quo, arguing that Mainers cannot afford to live in their state anymore. He has recognized a growing dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party, particularly among young people. Some have compared him to New York City mayoral candidate, Zohran Mamdani. Both represent emerging, young, amateur Democrats who challenge the establishment, bringing populist messages, staunch critiques of both Republicans and Democrats, and opposition to Israel’s actions toward Gaza. Both candidates have received backlash from party politicians that believe they are too radical and inexperienced. Despite this, Mamdani beat Andrew Cuomo in the primary earlier this year, and both Cuomo and incumbent Eric Adams have decided to run as independents. Mamdani faced an unusual amount of unity in opposition to his democratic socialist policies and statements. Platner has not faced that level of opposition yet, but he supports similar policies and ideas. During his stop in Maine during his fighting oligarchy tour, Bernie Sanders endorsed Platner and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson. Additionally, he received help from the Democratic consulting group, Fight Agency, a group that has been a part of Zohran Mamdani and Jon Fetterman’s campaign.
Despite the buzz surrounding him, Platner still faces obstacles. Jordan Wood is another political outsider and has also launched a campaign criticizing Susan Collins’ policies and image. Wood is a co-founder of Maine Beer Co. and has based his campaign around environmental and economic issues, along with criticism of Collins. But Platner’s biggest challenge, aside from Collins, may be from the Democratic establishment. Governor Janet Mills is receiving pressure to run for Susan Collins’ seat from leaders like Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, particularly after a confrontation with President Trump earlier this year. During a governor’s meeting in February, President Trump pushed for the Maine governor to ban transgender girls from women’s sports. He threatened to withhold federal funding should Maine not comply with his ban on Transgender athletes in women’s sports. Mills replied, “See you in court,” and democrats latched on to the phrase in an attempt to energize their supporters and form a fighting base against President Trump. Still, Democrats have been criticized for not doing enough to fight against Donald Trump and the Republican trifecta. Platner has said that he is not concerned with Janet Mills as a potential opponent, indicating that she represents the same political establishment that he believes has been unsuccessful in meeting working Mainer’s needs and in gaining enough support to challenge Republicans. Both Platner and Wood, the two major Democratic challengers to Susan Collins, have said that they would remain in the race should Janet Mills announce that she will run.
Susan Collins has not yet announced if she is running for re-election. She is currently (as of January 2025) the head of the Appropriations Committee. Collins maintains an important role in the Senate and is considered a moderate and one of the Republicans who often votes with the Democrats. Many believe that she has not done enough to oppose Republicans in recent years and that she is not as moderate as she presents herself. Platner is betting that dissatisfaction with the cost of living, Donald Trump and Republicans, Democrats, and the political establishment as a whole will be enough to best her.
Susan Collins was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and has won re-election every 6 years since. She has consistently outperformed polls, even when she was not favored to win the election, and due to her prestige and track record, Platner, Wood, and others face a tough battle to beat Collins and win her seat.
