Graham Platner holds a 9-percentage-point lead over Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) in a hypothetical general election matchup for Maine’s Senate seat, according to a recent poll. The Pine Tree State Poll from the University of New Hampshire indicates that 51% of likely general election voters would support Platner if the election were held today, compared to 42% for Collins. Two percent of respondents indicated they would back another candidate, while 6% remain undecided.
The survey shows little change in the race since February, prior to former Governor Janet Mills (D-ME) exiting the contest. Despite her withdrawal, Mills is expected to appear on the June 9 Democratic primary ballot and may still receive support.
Collins has held her Senate seat since 1997. Platner, a Democratic populist, is supported by progressive figures including Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), positioning himself as a challenger to the long-time incumbent.
However, Representative Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) has declined to support Platner, citing controversy surrounding a tattoo he described as resembling a Nazi symbol. Auchincloss stated, "I find Platner’s Nazi tattoo and his commentary about it personally disqualifying. If it were me, I’d vote for someone else in the Maine Democratic primary."
Platner has also faced criticism over past social media posts that included comments about sexual assault and alcohol consumption, which have drawn accusations of sexism. The poll surveyed 1,397 Maine residents from Thursday through Monday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.