If Democrats hope to win back control of the Senate, their path runs through Maine. 

Republican Susan Collins, a Maine institution, has represented the state in the Senate since 1997 and is the only Republican senator in a state that reliably votes for Democrats at the presidential level.

Senate Democratic leaders have landed a top recruit in term-limited Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who formally launched her campaign for the seat on October 14. Her launch video emphasized her high-profile clashes with Trump earlier this year over issues including transgender athletes on school sports teams. 

“We stood up to Trump and stopped him from cutting the school lunch program for Maine kids,” she said. “But there are too many politicians in Washington – including Susan Collins – who have forgotten their principles and let bullies like Trump have their way. And it’s hurting Maine people. I’ve never backed down from a bully and I never will.”

Collins, 72, has indicated she plans to seek a sixth term in office but has not yet made a formal announcement. She’s broken with her party and President Donald Trump on key issues — in Trump’s second term, she voted against confirming some of his high-profile nominees and voted against passing his sprawling tax cut and spending package that included deep cuts to social programs used by the poorest Americans.

Even as Maine has trended increasingly Democratic, unseating Collins at the ballot box has historically been a tall order that many Democrats have attempted and failed. In 2020, Democratic nominee Sara Gideon raised a staggering $74 million and spent $62 million to lose to Collins by over eight points. 

Mills entered a crowded Democratic primary field that includes oyster farmer and U.S. military veteran Graham Platner; and David Costello, who ran as a Democrat in 2024 against Sen. Angus King, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats. Platner, who is running a progressive populist campaign, has drawn national attention and also controversy since launching his campaign in August.  

Jordan Wood, a Lewiston native and ex-chief of staff to former Rep. Katie Porter of California, dropped out of the Senate race on November 12 and announced he would run in the open race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District vacated by the retirement of Democratic Rep. Jared Golden. 

Several other high-profile Maine Democrats, including Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson and former Maine Speaker of the House Hannah Pingree, are running for governor instead.

Republicans currently control the Senate by a three-seat majority, 53 to 47, and senators serve six-year terms, meaning a third of the Senate is up every election cycle. For Democrats to win back the chamber in 2026, they’d need to hold on to every seat they have, including competitive ones in Georgia and Michigan. They also would have to flip four GOP-held seats — targets include  Maine, North Carolina and even more Republican-leaning states such as Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska and Texas. 

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