Democrats are desperate to retake control of the U.S. Senate, and one of the candidates they’re pinning their hopes on to help deliver a victory is Graham Platner, their Maine Senate nominee.
Platner, as RedState readers will recall, won the right in the June primary to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), easily defeating the state’s governor, Janet Mills, who had suspended her campaign in April, amid a wave of scandals that revolved around revelations of a Nazi tattoo, lies about his background, the resurfacing of some abhorrent Reddit comments where he did some sexual assault victim shaming, joked about self-pleasuring, and mocked a fellow war veteran for getting shot and wounded by the Taliban.
He also faced a wave of negative news stories in May and early June that centered around him sexting up to a dozen women after he got married in November 2023, and disturbing allegations of physical abuse and controlling behavior from a former girlfriend.
READ MORE: The Graham Platner Problem Is Getting Too Big for the DNC and Schumer to Ignore
Report: The Platner ‘Redemption’ Tour Hits a Snag As Another Alleged Ex Spills the Tea
The Maine Senate race is now in full general election campaign mode, and while Collins is out there touting everything she’s done for Mainers, Platner is trying to run away from his scandals and keep the focus strictly on his opponent.
But fresh New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena polling shows that despite his near-constant attacks on Collins, Platner’s extensive baggage is starting to catch up with him to the point that it has cost him support – even among voters who say Democrats winning back the Senate is a top priority:
By and large, the surveyed voters lean Democratic. Over half voted for Kamala Harris in 2024; today, they overwhelmingly disapprove of President Donald Trump’s presidency, excoriating how he’s handled the economy, cost-of-living crisis, immigration and the Iran war. Come this fall, most voters prefer that Democrats take control of the Senate.
But Platner’s controversial past has turned off some Mainers. An oyster farmer who’s never held elected office, his campaign was beset by scandal: a tattoo with Nazi overtones, unearthed Reddit posts and allegedly “unsettling” treatment of women. A majority of surveyed voters said his string of controversies has either called into question their support for him or made them disavow him entirely. And Collins is winning 10 percent of voters who would prefer Democrats take control of the Senate.
Considering the margin of error in the poll is at 4.8 percent, Platner and Collins are in a statistical tie:
New NYT/Siena poll of Maine race.
It’s close.
Platner: 49
Collins: 47 pic.twitter.com/qgjmzNoRyf— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) June 29, 2026
There was also this:
Graham Platner is ahead of Collins by 2 points in new NYT poll.
One of the most intriguing details: She has a 21-point lead among non-college voters as Platner has made centering the working class the center of his campaign. pic.twitter.com/EB2VXw6YPo
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) June 29, 2026
NYT/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll | 6/19-6/26 LV
US Senate Maine 2026
Is too extreme?
🟦Graham Platner 47%
🟥Susan Collins 34% (incumbent)
——
Has good character
🟥Susan Collins 66% (incumbent)
🟦Graham Platner 44%
——
Has the right kind of moral values
🟥Susan Collins 61%… pic.twitter.com/Lww6Y3vJfD— Politics & Poll Tracker 📡 (@PollTracker2024) June 29, 2026
This follows other polling taken in June that has also shown the race significantly tightening.
DIVE DEEPER: Dems Hitch Wagons to Graham Platner, but Impending Revelations May Have the Wheels Falling Off
Something to keep in mind here is that the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) is likely keeping its powder dry until July 14th, which would be the deadline for Platner to drop out (or be forced out) and for Democrats to be able to legally put in another nominee to replace him on the fall ballot. So, assuming that doesn’t happen – and I don’t think it will – we’re getting ready to learn a lot more about Graham Platner in the coming months… a lot more that the Platner campaign doesn’t want voters in the state to find out.
As always, stay tuned.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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