Maines Democratic governor, Janet Mills, is quietly reemerging in the states U.S. Senate race as her partys frontrunner, Graham Platner, remains mired in scandal over sexually explicit text messages and a history of offensive online posts.
According to WND, Mills, who halted her Senate campaign in April, is now reminding voters that she never formally exited the race and remains a viable option in the June 9 Democratic primary. People have the impression that I withdrew or dropped out, but I simply suspended active campaigning, Mills told the Portland Press Herald. I am still on the ballot.
Mills originally stepped back citing a lack of money, underscoring how modern campaigns often hinge less on ideas and more on fundraising prowess. While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else the fight to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources, she said in April. That is why today, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for United States Senate.
Her reappearance comes as Democrats confront the political fallout from Platners sexting scandal and his controversial past online behavior, raising questions about the partys judgment and vetting standards. In her first social-media post since suspending her campaign, Mills on Monday chose to highlight progressive cultural themes rather than address the turmoil in her party, posting a rainbow flag and writing on X: Happy Pride Month, Maine! Everyone deserves the freedom to live authentically and marry who they love without fear. Im proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community, today and every day.
Polling suggests Mills faces an uphill climb, but Platners troubles may be reshaping the race. The University of New Hampshire released a survey last week showing Mills with only 10% support, and during her active campaign she trailed Platner by double digits, with an Emerson College poll in March giving him a 27-point lead.
Yet the mechanics of election law now work in Mills favor as Democrats scramble for an alternative to a damaged nominee. The Press Herald reported: Mills name will remain on the ballot and votes for her will be counted because she has not filed the necessary paperwork with the Maine Department of the Secretary of State to nullify them. Unlike many prominent Maine Democrats, Mills never endorsed Platner after she dropped out of the race.
Platner, an oyster farmer, is now under intense scrutiny not only for the sexting scandal but also for his past online statements and imagery that critics say cross moral and political red lines. Platner continues to face scrutiny over his controversial past Reddit posts and for his tattoo that resembles a Nazi image.
He has apologized for the online posts, which included blaming sexual assault victims for their assaults and the use of slurs for disabled people and gay men. He said the posts came at a time he was struggling with depression and PTSD sustained during four combat deployments, and that the words longer reflect who is today.
The Democratic field also includes longshot hopeful David Costello and write-in candidate Andrea LaFlamme, but neither has shown significant traction. Whoever emerges from this bruising primary will face incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November, a seasoned lawmaker whose stability and seniority may appeal to voters weary of scandal and ideological extremism.
Despite the mounting allegations, leading progressives are circling the wagons around Platner rather than demanding accountability. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said hes certainly not rethinking his endorsement of Platner following revelations he sent sexually explicit text messages to women.
Sanders signaled he would prefer to sidestep the character questions surrounding the Democrat he backs. My understanding is that his wife, Amy, who Ive met, indicated they love each other, but maybe we focus on the issues facing the American people, the people of Maine, and not the marriage issues facing Graham Platner, Sanders told MS NOW.
Conservative commentator Clay Travis argued that even left-leaning media figures are now turning on Platner as the scandal deepens. Outback founder Clay Travis noted Monday: The ladies on the View called Maine Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner a racist liar. Democrats have ordered the code red on Platner. Feels like more awful revelations are coming. Its a Swalwell-like implosion.
For Republicans, the turmoil underscores a broader pattern of Democratic leaders preaching virtue while tolerating or excusing misconduct when it serves their political interests. For Maine voters, the choice in November may come down to whether they prefer the steady hand of Collins and a check on Washingtons progressive agenda, or a Democratic Party that appears increasingly consumed by internal chaos, cultural signaling, and candidates who cannot clear basic ethical bars.
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