Maine Democrat Graham Platner Wins Senate Primary Nomination
Graham Platner secured the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine after polls closed Tuesday. The 41-year-old marine veteran and oyster farmer defeated a late challenge from suspended candidate Janet Mills.
The HillVoters in Maine, North Dakota, Nevada and South Carolina cast ballots Tuesday in primary elections that included the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine.
Platner received the Democratic nomination for U.S.
Senate in Maine. The candidate received at least one vote from author Stephen King, who announced his support on social media. Maine governor Janet Mills had suspended her campaign earlier due to lack of funds. Some out-of-state Democrats urged voters to support Mills after Platner faced accusations from a former romantic partner of physical abuse between 2013 and 2015.
Platner, 41, is a marine veteran and oyster farmer with no prior national political experience. Reporting has noted past online posts described as racist, sexist and homophobic, along with a tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol and has since been covered.
Platner has drawn hundreds of attendees to town halls across Maine, where he has criticized Washington in a gravelly voice. His campaign has advanced despite the controversies and questions about support from pro-Israel donors. Jewish voters make up just over 1 percent of the Maine electorate.
The primary outcome sets up a November general election against Republican incumbent Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term.
Collins, 73, will face the presumptive Democratic nominee in a contest viewed as competitive. The race is one of four Senate seats Democrats see as a potential pickup opportunity. >"Voters appear to stand by Democratic challenger Graham Platner despite string of controversies." — The Guardian, June 9, 2026
