Portland, Maine - June 10, 2026

Sen. Susan Collins Wins Unopposed GOP Primary, Faces Controversial Democrat Graham Platner in November

Sen. Susan Collins secured the Republican nomination for a sixth term after running unopposed in Tuesday’s primary and will face Democrat Graham Platner in the November general election.

Collins, the only Republican senator representing a state won by Kamala Harris in 2024, has long been a top target for Democrats seeking to flip the seat and regain Senate control.

Platner won the Democratic primary and has received support from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California.

Collins warned during a Fox News interview that Maine voters will likely view Platner as too radical.

“I believe that will be the conclusion of Maine voters,” Collins said. “But, obviously, I don’t take anything for granted.”

Platner, a 41-year-old Marine veteran and oyster farmer, has faced multiple controversies in recent weeks. These include revelations of explicit text messages sent to other women during his marriage, a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol that he later covered, and resurfaced old Reddit posts under the username “P-Hustle.”

A Wall Street Journal report detailed how Platner’s wife discovered the explicit messages involving as many as a dozen women early in their marriage. Multiple ex-girlfriends described his past behavior as toxic and emotionally volatile, with one alleging physical aggression during an argument.

Platner has acknowledged sending the messages and described himself as a “bad boyfriend” in the past, attributing some issues to PTSD from his military service. He has denied allegations of physical violence.

Old Reddit posts attributed to Platner reportedly downplayed sexual assault, referred to Maine voters as “racist” and “stupid,” used slurs, and criticized police. Platner has blamed the posts on post-service depression and self-medication.

On policy, Platner’s campaign website calls for a constitutional amendment to ban billionaires from buying elections, supports Medicare for All, and backs a path to citizenship while opposing mass deportation.

The race is viewed as one of several that could determine whether Republicans retain their narrow Senate majority in the 2026 midterms.