Maine Democratic Primary Polls Show Graham Platner Leading Janet Mills by 35 Points

U.S. Senate in Maine, leads Gov. Janet Mills by 35 points in recent polling ahead of the June 9 primary, according to the Washington Examiner. The winner will challenge five-term Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.

Echelon Insights polling shows Collins trailing Platner by 6% ahead of November. ' Polls indicate Platner holds a commanding lead ahead of the primary. Platner enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after graduating from high school in 2003.

He participated in three combat tours in Iraq during his eight years in the Marine Corps. He served an additional tour in the Army in the Afghanistan War. Platner stated to podcast hosts Andrew Vontz and Jonathan E.

' Platner elaborated, 'But I always tried to inculcate this mental commitment to just always moving forward. No matter how brutal it’s feeling, no matter how gassed out you are, you always have to push. But it’s important to train yourself, and the people you’re leading, that even when you think you are absolutely done, that you are fully smoked, you can keep going.

You have the capacity to keep going. ' Platner began working on his friend’s oyster farm in 2018. He owns Waukeag Neck Oyster Co. in Frenchman Bay. Platner showed oyster shells to a visitor at his home on Nov.

3, 2025, in Sullivan, Maine. Platner stated to New Yorker last fall, 'The first time I ate the oysters, I was, like, holy s*. ' He told Bon Appétit, 'There’s a level of cooperation that exists on the sea.

Out here on the water, everybody’s got a whole bunch of different political opinions, but if someone’s in trouble, everybody shows up. ' Platner backs a 5% to 6% tax on people who make over $1 billion. He supports universal free healthcare nationwide.

Platner stated during a campaign event in Farmington last November, 'That gave me an immense amount of freedom. ' Platner became deeply disillusioned with American foreign policy due to his four deployments. He received an endorsement from Sen.

Bernie Sanders. Platner employed a top strategist to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who was elected as the first socialist mayor of New York this year. Platner backs breaking up monopolies, strengthening unions, and ending pointless wars including the war in Iran.

' Platner added, 'I have been all over the state of Maine over the past month, two months or so. ' In an NBC News interview released this week, Platner detailed policies including removing two conservative Supreme Court justices, possibly expanding the court, and weakening the filibuster. He opposes Israel's actions, accusing the country of carrying out genocide in Gaza.

Platner opposes a ban on semi-automatic assault-style weapons. Platner stated he would use subpoena power to investigate the Trump administration if elected. He told the Associated Press last year, 'Here in Maine, people are angry.

They’re frustrated. They are disillusioned. ' Platner’s campaign faced controversies last fall due to years-old Reddit posts and a tattoo with Nazi connotations that were publicized. He got a tattoo resembling the Nazi SS skull motif nearly two decades ago during a drunken night out with Marine friends.

Platner stated he was unfamiliar with the Nazi association of the tattoo, saying they are popular amongst military units. Platner made Reddit posts describing himself as a communist, making anti-LGBTQ+ jokes, and criticizing police and white people while struggling with mental health problems and PTSD. ' Platner explained, 'When I got out [of the military], I lost the sense of purpose.

I had planned to be a professional soldier. I thought I was going to do a career in the service. And then suddenly there I am as a 29-, 30-year-old civilian with no preparation mentally for that. ' Platner continued on Tuesday, 'But going through that and coming out of it through therapy and building community really turned me into a much more open and mentally stronger person.

I often see other guys and women who had experiences like mine with that front still up, this kind of tough alpha vibe going on. And what I see is somebody who still has the wrong kind of armor on. I almost feel bad because I think, you shouldn’t just get over it a little bit.

' Collins won her last campaign with 51% of the vote. Maine backed former President Joe Biden by 9 points in the same year as Collins' last campaign. Collins is a five-term senator.