Susan Collins Launches Reelection Bid as Democrats Target Maine for Senate Control
Key Facts
- Senator Susan Collins is seeking a sixth term in the U.S. Senate.
- Democrats need to net four seats to retake the Senate majority.
- Democratic challenger Graham Platner raised $4.6 million, outraising Governor Janet Mills' $2.7 million.
- Collins reported more than $8 million in cash on hand at the end of 2025.
- Collins voted to convict Donald Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial.
- President Trump stated that Collins "should never be elected to office again" after she supported a resolution limiting presidential force in Venezuela.
Republican Senator Susan Collins announced her reelection bid on Tuesday, a move that places a pivotal seat at the center of the battle for control of the U.S. Senate. Collins is seeking a sixth term in a state where registered Democrats now outnumber independent voters, a shift from her last campaign in 2020. Democrats have identified Maine as one of four key states, alongside North Carolina, Alaska, and Ohio, needed to net the four seats required to retake the Senate majority.
Historical Context
First elected in 1996, Collins has won five terms by positioning herself as an independent who occasionally breaks with her party. In 2020, she defeated Democrat Sara Gideon by more than 8 points despite being heavily outspent in what was the most expensive political campaign in Maine's history. Since then, the state's political demographics have shifted, with registered Democrats now trailing only independent voters in 2019 but surpassing them by 2026.
Perspective Analysis
Sources: Associated Press · The Guardian · The Hill | Aggregators: Memeorandum
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