Janet Mills, governor of Maine and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, during a roundtable discussion with community leaders in Westbrook, Maine, U.S., on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Photo: Sofia Aldinio/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The highly watched race to dethrone five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins became the center of a new controversy this week as the presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner fended off reports that he sent sexually explicit text messages to multiple women. Then, as Platner acknowledged his past extramarital discretions and denounced the media coverage, one former candidate, Governor Janet Mills, sought to remind voters of their options in next week’s primary. But are there any other signs she might rejoin the race in light of Platner’s new troubles?
Mills, who suspended her Senate campaign in April, citing a lack of financial resources, conspicuously noted to Portland Press Herald columnist Steve Collins that while she’s no longer on the campaign trail, her name can still be found on the ballot for the Democratic primary on June 9.
“People have the impression that I ‘withdrew’ or ‘dropped out,” Mills told Collins, “but I simply suspended active campaigning. I am still on the ballot.”
It was a notable comment from Mills, who has largely remained out of the public eye since exiting the race — and it has prompted speculation that she might be mulling a return to the trail as Platner faces continued scrutiny. Also on Monday, the governor shared a message celebrating the start of Pride month on her campaign social-media account, the first time she’s posted there since she dropped out.
Mills, who has a lengthy résumé in Maine politics, had long trailed behind Platner with the first-time candidate frequently polling in the double digits ahead of Mills despite several controversies that emerged in the race. The governor’s attempt to hit the oyster farmer and military veteran for his past Reddit comments downplaying sexual assault did not stick; Mills’s campaign debuted an ad focused on the topic months after Platner had addressed and apologized for it.
So far, there’s no solid evidence that Mills is planning to revive her Senate campaign. Politico spoke to a person close to the governor who told the outlet that Democrats in the Senate have yet to reach out to ask Mills about rejoining the race. When Mills launched her bid for the Senate, she did so with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer who helped to recruit her for the race as well as the DSCC, Senate Democrats’ campaign arm.
Democratic Senate leadership then coalesced behind Platner following Mills’s exit. On Tuesday, Schumer continued to express support for Platner who traveled to Washington, D.C. that day to meet with members of the Democratic caucus.
“I met with Graham Platner today. We’re going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday.
Mills is not the only one who is pushing for a possible revaluation of the Democratic field. David Costello, who worked for the state governments in both Maine and Maryland, has continued his longshot bid for the party nomination even as Platner is expected to win it next Tuesday. Following news of the latest Platner controversy, Costello took to social media to call for more debates and make his case for being the best choice for voters.
“Maine’s US Senate race is not settled and appears to be tightening. Maine’s primary election is next week and there’s still time. The cancelling of the 5 prior debates cut short important policy discussions and shortchanged ME voters. So, LET’s DEBATE,” Costello wrote on social media, sharing two photos of himself with both Platner and Mills.
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