Maine Gov. Janet Mills is anticipated to launch a marketing campaign for Senate on Tuesday, two Democratic sources accustomed to her plans confirmed to CBS Information.
A Democrat, Mills is vying to unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in one of the carefully watched contests of subsequent yr’s midterm elections.
Mills’ deliberate marketing campaign launch was first reported by Axios.
Mills, who’s term-limited, has served as governor of Maine since 2019, after working because the state’s legal professional basic. She drew nationwide consideration earlier this yr when she verbally argued with President Trump at a White Home occasion after he pressed Maine to conform along with his administration’s push to dam transgender women and girls from competing in feminine sports activities.
“See you in courtroom,” Mills stated to Mr. Trump.
Mills was a high recruit for the Democratic Senatorial Marketing campaign Committee. She’s going to enter an increasing major subject that features three different Democratic contenders — amongst them Graham Platner, an oyster farmer who has emerged as a rising progressive and anti-establishment voice.
The Maine Senate race might mark a uncommon alternative subsequent yr for Democrats to flip a GOP-held seat and contest the Senate’s 53-47 Republican majority, regardless of an in any other case difficult Senate terrain. Maine leans Democratic, with Joe Biden defeating Mr. Trump by 9 share factors in 2020 and Kamala Harris beating Mr. Trump by 7 share factors final yr.
However Democrats have struggled for years towards Collins, a five-term incumbent with a observe report of breaking with Mr. Trump and her congressional Republican colleagues. She gained reelection in 2020 by an 8.6-point margin, regardless of Democratic nominee Sara Gideon spending practically $62.9 million on the race — greater than double Collins’ $29.6 million.