Live Results: Maine midterm primaries

Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/live-results-maine-midterm-primaries Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Live Results: Maine midterm primaries Politics Jun 8, 2026 4:16 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — There's no shortage of competitive, high-stakes races and candidates with famous last names in Maine's state primary on Tuesday. Primaries for U.S. Senate and U.S. House will set the stage for a midterm general election in which Maine is expected to play a critical role in deciding control of both chambers. Maine voters will also have the opportunity in November to demonstrate the state's fiercely independent streak when it comes to electing a new governor. READ MORE: Amid controversial Senate campaigns, Paxton and Platner visit Washington to shore up support The races feature the son of a U.S. senator, the daughter of a congresswoman, the brother of a former governor and the nephew and cousin of two presidents. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Republican Sen. Susan Collins is unopposed for renomination to a sixth term, which would put her on track to become the chamber's longest-serving member from Maine. Collins, the only Senate Republican to represent a state that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried in 2024, is a pivotal figure in the effort to win control of the chamber in November. The 51% of the vote she received in her 2020 election bid was her poorest showing since the 49% she received in her first successful run in 1996. She is frequently at the top of Democrats' list of incumbents to oust, but her Democratic opponents have never surpassed the 44% mark in her five previous races. READ MORE: Platner's wife calls reports about Senate candidate's explicit texts with women 'shameful' Graham Platner is the leading contender for the Democratic nomination to challenge Collins. He's a Marine and U.S. Army veteran who took up oyster farming following combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Platner originally faced a competitive primary against Gov. Janet Mills, the preferred candidate among some national Democratic leaders, but the second-term governor dropped out of the race in April citing fundraising challenges. Platner has two remaining primary opponents, one of them a write-in candidate. Mills is still on the ballot, despite suspending her campaign. As of May 20, Platner led all candidates, including Collins, in fundraising for the cycle, although Collins sat atop a larger war chest. WATCH: Dissecting what the latest primary races mean for November elections He received key early backing from Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who reiterated his support despite recent allegations that Platner had sent sexually explicit text messages to several women while married. Platner was embroiled in another controversy earlier in the campaign regarding a tattoo he once had that