The BDN Opinion section operates independently and does not set news policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com
Rick Barton was a field coordinator in the Hathaway for Senate campaign of 1972, a First Congressional District nominee in 1976, the State Democratic Party Chair from 1986-89 and served as a U.S. ambassador and assistant secretary of state as well as deputy high commissioner at the UN Refugee Agency.
In the summer of 1972, something was afoot in Skowhegan. We arrived to organize U.S. Rep. Bill Hathaway’s campaign in Sen. Margaret Chase Smith’s hometown and received a warm welcome. Nobody wanted to join a formal structure, but many said they would vote for Bill and a few recommended their teenagers as volunteers.
That November, Hathaway was elected to the Senate by a 53-47 margin — including a surprise win in Skowhegan. Maine voters chose the 48-year-old Democrat over the 74-year-old Republican because they had tired of her 24-year incumbency and felt that Hathaway was an attractive alternative
Sound like 2026?
Fatigue with 73-year-old Republican Sen. Susan Collins is evident after 30 years in office and there is unprecedented excitement about and attention to her challenger, veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner. The contrast of age and vitality of the candidates will matter but much will reflect the politics of each era.
In 1972, Smith faced a Republican primary challenge that hinged on her age. Smith’s convincing June win did not negate that one-third of her party was ready for a change. Her backing of the Vietnam War motivated volunteers throughout the state to defeat Smith.
Likewise, Collins has navigated the churning waters of a disdainful President Donald Trump and his MAGA base, and now has the additional pressure of an unpopular war in Iran. At the same time, Collins’ 95% support for Trump on critical votes likely motivates Democrats and independents.
Hathaway promised to visit every one of Maine’s 495 towns and ran a highly organized voter identification effort, while Smith made occasional, structured public appearances. Platner’s dozens of large public gatherings, where he takes voters’ questions, generate significant positive word of mouth. It is a sharp contrast to Collins’ formal approach and few open exchanges.
What of the differences between 1972 and 2026?
The winning Hathaway campaign spent $200,000, Smith $18,000. Hathaway featured artful TV commercials that reinforced his closeness to Maine’s people and Smith had no ads. The 2026 campaigns each have so far raised more than $16 million, with contributions under $200 representing close to 65% of Platner’s funding and under 14% of Collins’.
There was no negativity in 1972. Our instructions were never to speak ill of Mrs. or Sen. Smith and to focus on our candidate’s virtues. This year’s contest is expected to feature hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign spending — much of it from “outside” groups with personalized attacks, unknown in 1972. Harsh non-stop commercials dominate and social media and “influencer” spending will offer more customized negatives.
In 1972, the political press was a dynamic force with reporters and columnists engaged throughout the state. Political polling was not the center of attention. Years later, I learned that Hathaway’s own poll around Labor Day predicted a 20-point or so loss. He remained positive. This year is seeing a journalistic revival but it remains less influential for a variety of reasons, from a dispersed readership to fewer experienced reporters.
So, contrasts abound.
Where Smith savored her primary win and ran a traditional fall campaign, Collins and her backers will run a full-fledged “modern” race, sparing no expense or attack, and spreading new “opposition research,” as we saw from early spring through the June 9 primary. This strategy of accumulation worries Democrats, though the high turnout and record Platner vote may set aside fears.
The Maine electorate is changing. Since the COVID pandemic, 78,000 residents have arrived, possibly altering the balances. Overall, parties are less influential.
In this time of Trump, things have a way of being about him, a theme likely to continue through November.
How will voters differentiate personality flaws and not default to “they all do it”? “Character” exploitation can be confusing. Are the selected words and acts of a young Marine back from war more important than the conflicting votes and “concerns” of a five-term incumbent? Do voters want to determine this vital race by the shortcomings of each candidate or on the differing visions of our political future?
Is the promise of an open, transparent and inclusive movement more worthy of a vote than taking credit for government funding?
I believe Maine voters deserve more of what we saw in the 1972 campaign, where two fine public servants tried to appeal to our better selves. That is a long shot in a time of over-managed politics, but still worthy of our aspirations.
This will be a competitive race — let us all try to elevate it.