How thin is the Democratic bench to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)? Their top recruit, Gov. Janet Mills, will be 78 on Election Day and isn’t even sure she wants to run.
But especially now with Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) passing on a statewide campaign, Mills is Democrats’ best bet to save her party’s chances of knocking off Collins.
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) summed up the dearth of Democratic challengers succinctly when we asked his thoughts on the Senate race.
“There isn’t one yet, as far as I know,” King said.
Why Maine matters: Senate Democrats need to oust Collins, the only Republican up for reelection in a state President Donald Trump lost. But the fifth-term incumbent, who is also a septuagenarian, is politically savvy and formidable, leaving many ambitious Maine Democrats wary of challenging her.
Mills, first elected in 2018, is serving her last term as governor. Mills is popular and instantly upped her national profile by sparring with Trump at the White House over transgender athletes.
The governor isn’t eager to run for another office. But Mills is listening to the argument that she is the strongest candidate and has an obligation to consider it, per people familiar with her thinking. The clash with Trump has made Mills more receptive to recruitment entreaties but she is in no hurry, they said.
“It’s a big mystery,” said Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), when asked if she thought Mills would run. “She’s been saying to people, ‘Yeah, I’m thinking about it.’”
The race dynamics: Jordan Wood, former Rep. Katie Porter’s (D-Calif.) chief of staff, is the only notable Democrat in the race as of now. But national Democrats don’t view Wood as a serious candidate who can defeat Collins.
Part of Democrats’ recruitment problems stems from the race to replace Mills in the Blaine House. A wide-open gubernatorial contest is far more appealing. Among those running or preparing to run: former Maine State House Speaker Hannah Pingree, energy executive Angus King III, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson and Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
Senate Democratic recruiters could try to convince one of them to jump to the Senate. But none have Mills’ stature statewide. Because she would enter with a high name ID, Mills can afford to wait months to enter the race and still mount a strong campaign.
The GOP view: Collins, 72, hasn’t officially announced she’s running for a sixth term. But Collins has said she intends to run and told local outlet WABI she expects to “make a formal announcement later this year, towards the end of the year.”
Republicans are gleeful about the Democratic recruiting struggles. “Nobody likes losing, and numerous Democrat candidates seem to have figured out losing is exactly what will happen if they challenge Susan Collins,” NRSC spokesperson Nick Puglia said in a statement.
In a statement, DSCC spokesperson Maeve Coyle said “Democrats will have a strong candidate in Maine” and attacked Collins for paving the way for the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
