The fight between Maine's Susan Collins and Graham Platner could determine future of Senate

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published June 10, 2026 at 11:56 AM EDT

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, heads to the chamber before votes on the immigration enforcement funding package, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, June 4, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

In Maine, Democrat Graham Platner faces longtime Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in a high-stakes race that could determine which party controls the Senate in 2027.

A Marine veteran, oyster farmer and political neophyte, Platner and his progressive platform have drawn a large following among Maine voters, but his campaign has been plagued by revelations about controversial personal behavior.

Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan speaks with NPR political reporter Stephen Fowler about the state of the race.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.