Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is operating forward of the place public polling positioned her throughout her 2020 reelection marketing campaign, whilst a New York Instances/Portland Press Herald/Siena survey finds Democrat Graham Platner narrowly main in Maine’s 2026 Senate race.
The ballot, carried out June 19-26 amongst 608 probably Maine voters, discovered Platner main Collins 49 % to 47 %. The Instances described the two-point edge as too small for polls to measure reliably, and the survey had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.8 proportion factors.
Graham Platner, Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks at a marketing campaign occasion Friday, June 5, 2026, in Bar Harbor, Maine. (AP Photograph/Robert F. Bukaty)
Burgess Everett, Semafor’s congressional bureau chief, famous on X that Collins’s 47 % exhibiting within the new ballot is greater than any public 2020 ballot listed by RealClearPolling earlier than she in the end received reelection.
The RealClearPolling checklist from Maine’s 2020 Senate race confirmed Collins trailing Democrat Sara Gideon in each ballot listed earlier than Election Day, with Collins’s assist starting from 38 % to 44 %. The listed surveys confirmed Collins at 42 % within the last Emerson ballot, 43 % in a late October Colby School ballot, 40 % in a Pan Atlantic ballot, 43 % in a Bangor Every day Information ballot, 44 % in a New York Instances/Siena ballot, and between 38 and 43 % within the remaining listed surveys.
Collins in the end defeated Gideon by 51.0 % to 42.4 %, an 8.6-point margin.
The brand new Instances ballot discovered Collins at 47 % in opposition to Platner, greater than each public 2020 survey listed within the RealClearPolling desk, whereas Platner’s 49 % matches Gideon’s exhibiting within the 2020 Instances/Siena ballot listed within the RealClearPolling desk.
The Instances famous that Collins has a historical past of defying polling expectations. In 2020, pre-election surveys advised she would lose by about three to 4 factors, however she received by 9.
The survey additionally discovered that Collins continues to carry benefits over Platner on a number of private and problem measures. Sixty-six % of probably voters stated Collins has good character, in contrast with 44 % who stated the identical of Platner, whereas 61 % stated Collins has the correct of ethical values, in contrast with 45 % for Platner. Forty-seven % stated Platner is simply too excessive, in contrast with 34 % who stated that of Collins.
WATCH — Bernie Moreno Trolls Dems, Compares GOP Nominees to Freaky Graham Platner:
On points, probably voters stated Collins would do a greater job bringing cash and assets to Maine by a 61 % to 34 % margin, whereas Platner led Collins on being an unbiased voice, 50 % to 43 %, and doing what’s greatest for abnormal Mainers, 50 % to 46 %.
The ballot comes after weeks of scrutiny over Platner’s previous conduct and controversies. The Instances reported that Platner, an oysterman who has by no means held elected workplace, received the Democrat nomination regardless of studies about offensive on-line posts, a tattoo resembling a Nazi image, and his remedy of ladies. Greater than 90 % of probably voters stated they’d heard in regards to the controversies, and about 30 % of Platner supporters stated the studies had raised questions on whether or not or not they may assist him.
The Republican Nationwide Committee launched a video Friday highlighting Democrats struggling to reply questions on Platner, together with whether or not or not they assist him, if he has the character to serve within the Senate, and whether or not or not they might marketing campaign with him.
Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to an overflow crowd outdoors a marketing campaign occasion Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Portland, Maine. (AP Photograph/Robert F. Bukaty)
Among the many Democrats highlighted, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) stated Platner has “a number of points” however added that Democrats want the Senate; Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) stated Maine voters have to make the decision; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) stated the allegations concerned habits that was laborious to abdomen however framed the race as a alternative; and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reaffirmed his endorsement of Platner.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) additionally criticized Democrats for persevering with to assist Platner, arguing that occasion leaders had excused his controversies as a result of he represented the occasion’s progressive wing. President Donald Trump, requested by Breitbart Information earlier this month about Democrats shedding floor on the generic congressional poll, stated Republicans have been “arising robust” as a result of voters have been seeing “lunatics” on the poll, together with “the man in Maine with the swastika.”
Each events view Maine as central to the battle for management of the Senate. Republicans at present maintain 53 seats, which means Democrats should defend all of their seats and flip 4 extra to win management in November. Of the six Republican-held Senate battleground states, Maine is the one one which voted in opposition to Trump in 2024.
#Susan #Collins #Outperforms #Public #Polling
Supply hyperlink
