Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is now reportedly urging Maine Gov. Janet Mills to sit out the 2026 Senate race, warning that her entry would spark what he called an “unnecessary and divisive primary” among Democrats seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, instead endorsed Graham Platner, a Marine Corps and Army veteran who served four tours overseas. Calling him a “great working class candidate,” Sanders said Platner is best positioned to take on Collins without draining Democratic resources in a costly intraparty battle.
“It’s disappointing that some Democratic leaders are urging Governor Mills to run,” Sanders wrote on the social platform X. “We need to focus on winning that seat & not waste millions on an unnecessary & divisive primary.”
The move highlights a growing divide within the Democratic Party over strategy in Maine, where Mills — the state’s first female governor — remains a popular figure. After flipping the governor’s office from Republican to Democratic control in 2018 by defeating former Gov. Paul LePage, Mills easily won reelection. A University of New Hampshire poll this summer found 51 percent of Mainers view her favorably, compared with 41 percent who view her unfavorably.
Collins, meanwhile, faces a far steeper climb in public opinion. The same survey found 57 percent of residents hold an unfavorable view of the five-term senator, with only 14 percent viewing her favorably.
Mills has not formally announced whether she will run, though Democrats close to her have reportedly encouraged a challenge to Collins, who is seeking a sixth term. Sanders warned that her entry could fracture Democratic unity in a state where Collins has repeatedly defied expectations and maintained crossover appeal among independents and moderates.
“I have nothing against Janet Mills, but I think right now, Susan Collins is absolutely beatable,” Sanders told NOTUS. “She can be beaten, and I think it would be a really sad state of affairs to have to spend millions of dollars on a divisive primary. We should be focusing on beating Susan Collins, and Platner can do that.”
Sanders said Platner “is touching on exactly the right issues” and pointed to his ability to draw crowds of thousands in Maine. Platner has received early support from Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who view him as the party’s strongest contender.
Platner has already gone on the offensive against Collins, criticizing her for supporting the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which includes Medicaid cuts, and for her role in the government shutdown. “Susan Collins’s stance is indefensible. A quarter million dollars in dark money behind her is indefensible,” Platner wrote on X, referring to a $250,000 ad buy by the Stronger Maine super PAC aimed at defending the senator.
Platner has raised $4 million for his campaign so far, positioning himself as an insurgent candidate against both the establishment and Collins. Meanwhile, Maine voters await Mills’s decision — one that could determine whether Democrats face a unified front or another bruising internal contest in their bid to capture one of the Senate’s most enduring Republican seats.
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