WHAT DID HE HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT? SCOTT. HE THANKED HIS VOTERS TONIGHT AND ALL OF HIS SUPPORTERS WHO HELPED HIM GET HERE. AND HE PROMISES TO NOT LET THIS STATE DOWN AND THAT HE’LL DO ANYTHING FOR MAINE VOTERS. AND AGAIN, HE REALLY IS THANKFUL FOR HIS VOTERS SUPPORT FOR GETTING HIM HERE TO LEVELS THAT HE REALLY NEVER IMAGINED FOR HIMSELF. HE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW HE WILL FIGHT FOR MAINE, BUT ALSO DID SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HIS OPPONENT, SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS IS ADAMANT TONIGHT THAT HE WILL DEFEAT COLLINS, AND SHE IS THE LONGTIME SENATOR, HAS HELD THAT SEAT FOR DECADES AND HAS A LOT OF POWER DOWN IN WASHINGTON. HER TEAM IS RESPONDING TONIGHT, SAYING THE SENATOR WILL RUN ON HER OWN RECORD OF DELIVERING RESULTS FOR MAINE, AND THE TWO WILL FACE OFF IN NOVEMBER. THERE’S GOING TO HAVE TO GAIN THE TRUST OF VOTERS WHO DIDN’T CHOOSE HIM TONIGHT, MANY CHOOSING MILLS OR COSTELLO INSTEAD. AND ANY OF THOSE WHO FEEL LET DOWN OR DISAPPOINTED OR DISILLUSIONED, IT IS MY JOB TO EARN YOUR TRUST, FAITH AND SUPPORT. AND I WILL SPEND EVERY DAY OF THIS CAMPAIGN. AND IF I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE EVERY DAY IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE DOING EXACTLY THAT. WE’RE ALSO HEARING FROM GOVERNOR JANET MILLS TONIGHT WHO SUSPENDED HER CAMPAIGN A COUPLE MONTHS AGO. SHE SAYS, QUOTE, I AM GRATEFUL TO MAINE PEOPLE AND INCREDIBLY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER. I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF MAINE PEOPLE. WE’VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO DAVID COSTELLO TONIGHT BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK JUST YET. SO AGAIN, ONE HURDLE CLEARED FOR PLATTNER. BUT HE’S GOT A BATTLE COMING INTO NOVEMBER. IF HE WANTS TO UNSEAT A SENATOR WHO HAS HELD THAT SEAT FOR DECADES AND HAS A LOT OF POWER DOWN IN WASHINGTON, HAS HIGH SENIORITY THERE. AND THIS IS A KEY RACE FOR DEMOCRATS IF THEY WANT TO FLIP THE SENATE FROM RED TO BLUE, THEY HAVE TO SECURE THIS SEAT WITH PLATTNER IF THEY WAN
Maine’s Senate primary election results: Graham Platner declared winner in Democratic primary
Maine is home to a key U.S. Senate race that could determine whether Republicans maintain their majority in the chamber.Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins is seeking her sixth term in the Senate and she was uncontested in the Republican primary.At 9:23 p.m. Tuesday, The Associated Press called the Democratic primary race for Graham Platner. The oyster farmer had 75% of the vote with 8% of the votes counted, according to the AP.”Until recently, I thought that harbormaster would be the height of my political career,” Platner told a crowd of his supporters. “It now appears that things have changed.”Outgoing Gov. Janet Mills had 18.7% of the vote, while David Costello, a former top aide for the governor of Maryland, had 6.2% of the vote. Democrat Andrea LaFlamme, who did not qualify to appear on the primary ballot, is a declared write-in candidate in the Senate race. She had less than 1% of the vote. Mills suspended her campaign on April 30, but her name still appears on the Democratic primary ballot. Mills’ decision has made Platner the heavy favorite in the Democratic primary, despite a number of controversies.After thanking his supporters, Platner also thanked Mills for a lifetime of service to the state of Maine.”We are eternally grateful,” Platner said.”Throughout my two campaigns for governor and this one for Senate, what I have always loved the most is traveling across our beautiful state and getting to talk to Maine people,” Mills said in a statement. “Hearing their concerns and their worries, their hopes and their dreams, has always inspired me to never stop fighting for them — whether that’s expanding health care, protecting access to abortion, making historic investments in housing, delivering free school meals and free community college, or expanding broadband. I am grateful to Maine people and incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. I will continue to fight with everything I have to improve the lives and livelihoods of Maine people.”During his victory speech, Platner was adamant that he will defeat Collins in the Nov. 3 general election.”She has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves,” Platner said. “Susan Collins is getting rich while we’re getting screwed.”In a statement, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said: “In less than a year, Graham Platner built a grassroots movement around putting working Mainers first — ahead of corporations, special interests, and the ultra-wealthy. While Susan Collins cuts healthcare, increases everyday costs, undercuts workers, and rubberstamps Donald Trump’s extreme agenda, Graham will focus on making life more affordable and delivering for communities across Maine. The DNC is ready to help organize and mobilize voters to defeat Susan Collins, take back the Senate, and prioritize the concerns of working families.”“Susan Collins is a national leader with a long record of legislative accomplishments. She has consistently been recognized as one of the most independent members of the Senate —the nonpartisan Georgetown Lugar Center has ranked her as the most bipartisan Senator in nine of their last eleven indexes,” the Collins campaign said in a statement. “Susan Collins was the architect of the PPP program which was credited with saving 50,000,000 American jobs, including 250,000 in Maine. Her ability to work across the aisle is what allowed her to pass this important program, as is the case with many of her other legislative accomplishments. Senator Collins’ Chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee is a once-in-a-century opportunity for the state of Maine. Since 2021, Senator Collins has secured nearly $1.5 billion for over 650 projects across all of Maine’s 16 counties, transformative investments to support first responders, patients and health care providers, and our local communities. This number doesn’t even include the massive defense investments in our state for Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Pratt and Whitney, and other employers that contribute revenue and jobs. She also recently cast her 10,000th consecutive vote, a record that reflects the Maine work ethic she continues to carry with her to Washington. Senator Collins will run on her own record of delivering results for Maine.”In a statement, Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said: “Graham Platner is a racist, sexist, Nazi-loving domestic abuser who fantasizes about rape and murder, spends his time on a predatory sex app, and disparages American servicemembers. Platner is easily the most toxic candidate of the cycle and the fact that Democrats have embraced him in service of a radical socialist agenda has placed the final nail in the coffin of their chances to win Maine in November.”FULL RESULTS: GOVERNOR | 1ST DISTRICT | 2ND DISTRICT | MAINE LEGISLATURE | ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY | CUMBERLAND COUNTY | FRANKLIN COUNTY | KENNEBEC COUNTY | KNOX COUNTY | LINCOLN COUNTY | OXFORD COUNTY | SAGADAHOC COUNTY | SOMERSET COUNTY | WALDO COUNTY | YORK COUNTY Explore the interactive graphic below to learn more about the incumbent, Collins, as well as Costello and Platner, the two Democratic challengers who qualified for the primary ballot and still have active campaigns.
AUGUSTA, Maine —
Maine is home to a key U.S. Senate race that could determine whether Republicans maintain their majority in the chamber.
Incumbent Sen. Susan Collins is seeking her sixth term in the Senate and she was uncontested in the Republican primary.
At 9:23 p.m. Tuesday, The Associated Press called the Democratic primary race for Graham Platner. The oyster farmer had 75% of the vote with 8% of the votes counted, according to the AP.
“Until recently, I thought that harbormaster would be the height of my political career,” Platner told a crowd of his supporters. “It now appears that things have changed.”
Outgoing Gov. Janet Mills had 18.7% of the vote, while David Costello, a former top aide for the governor of Maryland, had 6.2% of the vote. Democrat Andrea LaFlamme, who did not qualify to appear on the primary ballot, is a declared write-in candidate in the Senate race. She had less than 1% of the vote.
Mills suspended her campaign on April 30, but her name still appears on the Democratic primary ballot. Mills’ decision has made Platner the heavy favorite in the Democratic primary, despite a number of controversies.
After thanking his supporters, Platner also thanked Mills for a lifetime of service to the state of Maine.
“We are eternally grateful,” Platner said.
“Throughout my two campaigns for governor and this one for Senate, what I have always loved the most is traveling across our beautiful state and getting to talk to Maine people,” Mills said in a statement. “Hearing their concerns and their worries, their hopes and their dreams, has always inspired me to never stop fighting for them — whether that’s expanding health care, protecting access to abortion, making historic investments in housing, delivering free school meals and free community college, or expanding broadband. I am grateful to Maine people and incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. I will continue to fight with everything I have to improve the lives and livelihoods of Maine people.”
During his victory speech, Platner was adamant that he will defeat Collins in the Nov. 3 general election.
“She has become just as spineless and corrupt as the establishment she now serves,” Platner said. “Susan Collins is getting rich while we’re getting screwed.”
In a statement, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said: “In less than a year, Graham Platner built a grassroots movement around putting working Mainers first — ahead of corporations, special interests, and the ultra-wealthy. While Susan Collins cuts healthcare, increases everyday costs, undercuts workers, and rubberstamps Donald Trump’s extreme agenda, Graham will focus on making life more affordable and delivering for communities across Maine. The DNC is ready to help organize and mobilize voters to defeat Susan Collins, take back the Senate, and prioritize the concerns of working families.”
“Susan Collins is a national leader with a long record of legislative accomplishments. She has consistently been recognized as one of the most independent members of the Senate —the nonpartisan Georgetown Lugar Center has ranked her as the most bipartisan Senator in nine of their last eleven indexes,” the Collins campaign said in a statement. “Susan Collins was the architect of the PPP program which was credited with saving 50,000,000 American jobs, including 250,000 in Maine. Her ability to work across the aisle is what allowed her to pass this important program, as is the case with many of her other legislative accomplishments. Senator Collins’ Chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee is a once-in-a-century opportunity for the state of Maine. Since 2021, Senator Collins has secured nearly $1.5 billion for over 650 projects across all of Maine’s 16 counties, transformative investments to support first responders, patients and health care providers, and our local communities. This number doesn’t even include the massive defense investments in our state for Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Pratt and Whitney, and other employers that contribute revenue and jobs. She also recently cast her 10,000th consecutive vote, a record that reflects the Maine work ethic she continues to carry with her to Washington. Senator Collins will run on her own record of delivering results for Maine.”
In a statement, Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters said: “Graham Platner is a racist, sexist, Nazi-loving domestic abuser who fantasizes about rape and murder, spends his time on a predatory sex app, and disparages American servicemembers. Platner is easily the most toxic candidate of the cycle and the fact that Democrats have embraced him in service of a radical socialist agenda has placed the final nail in the coffin of their chances to win Maine in November.”
FULL RESULTS: GOVERNOR | 1ST DISTRICT | 2ND DISTRICT | MAINE LEGISLATURE | ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY | CUMBERLAND COUNTY | FRANKLIN COUNTY | KENNEBEC COUNTY | KNOX COUNTY | LINCOLN COUNTY | OXFORD COUNTY | SAGADAHOC COUNTY | SOMERSET COUNTY | WALDO COUNTY | YORK COUNTY
Explore the interactive graphic below to learn more about the incumbent, Collins, as well as Costello and Platner, the two Democratic challengers who qualified for the primary ballot and still have active campaigns.