Hours after Maine Gov. Juliet Mills announced her surprise exit from the U.S. Senate race, Republicans in the state could barely contain their glee over the prospect of GOP Sen. Susan Collins facing the Democrats' new all-but-certain nominee: Graham Platner.
"Sen. Collins is in a stronger position today than she was in 2020," former Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby, now executive director of the Lead Maine grassroots group, told Newsmax.
Platner is "an extremist Democrat with Nazi tattoos whose only agenda is to impeach President [Donald] Trump, abolish ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement], and pack the Supreme Court," Libby said. "He is totally unfit for office."
(It was recently reported that Platner had a skull-and-bones tattoo on his chest that resembled the emblem of a Nazi paramilitary organization. He insisted that he was tattooed in Croatia with some fellow Marines and they were unaware of the symbolism at the time and has since had it covered.)
In contrast to when he was facing the more centrist Mills in a primary, Platner "is now the face of the party, and that means his offensive statements and extreme positions will get the full scrutiny they deserve," Libby said.
According to the latest Pan Atlantic Research Survey, Platner — a first-time candidate, oyster farmer and Marine Corps veteran with service in Iraq and Afghanistan — leads Collins, a five-term senator and current Senate Appropriations Committee chair, 44%-40% among likely voters statewide.
Even facing a primary with a two-term governor, Platner had the endorsements of Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz.; and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Platner was a campaign volunteer for Sanders and considers the self-styled democratic socialist his political hero.
Along with slamming Platner for his more extreme positions, Republicans are sure to contrast him with Collins and her reputation as a moderate and problem-solver.
Penobscot County Commissioner Andre Cushing described Collins as "a tireless worker, a respected colleague and has proven her commitment to find solutions to the many challenges she is required to deal with."
Six years ago, after voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Collins faced the race of her life and was outspent 2-to-1. She nevertheless secured reelection by a 2-to-1 margin.
Whether she can repeat that performance against a different type of opponent will likely make the Maine contest one of the most-watched in the nation this year.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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