Democratic senators largely declined to comment this week on Graham Platner, the Maine Democrat running against Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, when approached by reporters about the candidate's resurfaced controversial remarks.
The race represents a key opportunity for Democrats to flip a Senate seat in a state that has shown bipartisan leanings. Collins, who first won the seat in 1997, is seeking her sixth term representing Maine in the Senate.
What the Left Is Saying
Several Democratic senators said they were not tracking developments in the Maine race closely enough to comment on Platner's candidacy or the controversy surrounding his past statements.
"I'm not following that race closely," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Fox News Digital when approached about Platner this week.
Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., similarly indicated he had not been focused on the Maine contest but said he would examine the situation more carefully. "I have not been focusing on this race," Booker said. He added that he intended to review the full body of evidence surrounding Platner and noted the candidate would need to make his case directly to voters.
Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., suggested the matter was ultimately for Maine residents to decide. "It's up to Maine," Welch said. "It's up to Maine's people."
What the Right Is Saying
Collins has not publicly commented on her Democratic challenger's past remarks, though her campaign has highlighted her bipartisan record during previous election cycles.
Republican strategists have pointed to Collins' electoral history in emphasizing her resilience as a candidate. The senator has successfully won re-election multiple times despite Maine's sometimes competitive political environment.
National Republican groups have not issued statements on the Democratic primary contest but have noted Collins' moderate voting record as a factor in past Senate races.
What the Numbers Show
Collins won her most recent re-election in 2021 with 51.0% of the vote, defeating Democratic challenger Sara Gideon, who received 42.4%, according to state election records.
The Maine seat has been held by Republicans since Collins' first election in 1997, making it one of the longer-serving Republican Senate seats in a traditionally blue-leaning state.
Polling data for a potential Platner-Collins matchup has not been publicly released as of this article's publication. The Democratic primary has not yet occurred.
The Bottom Line
Democratic leaders have remained largely silent on Platner's candidacy despite the resurfacing of his past comments, which include statements about sexual assault that have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum.
If Platner secures the Democratic nomination, national Democrats would face a difficult decision about whether to invest resources in a race where the candidate's history could complicate their electoral prospects. Collins' campaign is likely to frame any controversy surrounding her opponent as disqualifying for a statewide candidate seeking federal office.
The Maine Senate race remains one of the most closely watched contests of the cycle, with control of the Senate potentially hinging on several competitive seats including this one. Voters in Maine will ultimately decide both the primary and general election outcomes.