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Liz Seaton lives in midcoast Maine.
I believe Gov. Janet Mills is the most qualified Democrat to defeat Sen. Susan Collins in 2026. Mills is a two-time statewide winner and the only Democratic candidate in the race for U.S. Senate who has ever won an election in Maine!
Throughout her career, the governor has proven tireless in her work on behalf of all Mainers and she has been a strong and effective governor who embodies our Democratic values. She expanded healthcare to more than 100,000 Mainers, guaranteed free school meals for every child, protected and expanded access to abortion, enacted free community college, fought climate change, and preserved and protected public lands.
I believe she’s principled, compassionate, and tough enough to take on the extremists in Washington to protect Maine people. That’s in strong contrast to Sen. Susan Collins who, I believe, is not using her power to stand up to President Donald Trump as he takes a wrecking ball to our Democracy.
We need to elect a senator with the backbone to lead and aggressively fight against tyranny. Mills doesn’t just talk about standing up to Trump, she stood up and won! That’s something no other candidate in this race can claim they have achieved.
Mills boldly stood up to Trump in February, when he tried to strong-arm her and Maine into caving to his political demands. While some other politicians shamefully capitulated to his bigoted demands, fearing political blowback, Mills stepped up early and decisively. Her point: bigotry and hate are not welcome in Maine.
While I respect Graham Platner for stepping forward to run, I believe his candidacy raises serious concerns.
His Nazi tattoo ( covered just a few weeks ago) plus his prior history of racist, sexist, and homophobic social media posts — many as recent as four years ago — are deeply troubling. Worse, when he decided to run, he deleted those posts in an apparent attempt to hide them from voters. That’s not accountability. Trust is earned through transparency and action, not words.
I would respectfully suggest to Platner that before seeking to represent nearly 1.5 million Mainers, many of whom he insulted and disrespected, he should prove to Maine voters through values-based work at a state or local elected post that he is who he claims to be. If he truly wants to earn the trust of Mainers, he should run at the local or state level where he can earn our trust, build experience, and prove that he’s capable of governing effectively.
While I’m uncertain whether I can trust Platner, I have no doubt about my faith in Mills. I trust her to fight for my LGBTQ+ family and friends and for all Mainers. That’s why I wholeheartedly support her for the U.S. Senate and plan to devote my time and energy to helping her win. I know in my heart that Janet Mills is meant to be Maine’s next U.S. senator.