Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) announced the end of her candidacy for the 2026 Maine Senate race, clearing the way for Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee.
In a statement posted on social media, Mills said she lacked the financial resources to continue her campaign.
“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. “That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate.”
Platner is now all but certain to take the Democratic nomination, setting him up for a showdown against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
“Janet Mills is a formidable governor who has broken barriers and never hesitates to stand up to bullies to fight for Maine,” House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said in a joint statement. “We are grateful for her hard-fought and principled campaign, and we respect her decision to continue her service to Maine as Governor.”