Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner said Thursday that President Trump needs to be impeached and removed from office, adding that such action should be pursued if Democrats win a Senate majority and can secure Republican support.
Platner, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), told supporters he would be transparent about his position on the president.
"Of course, the president needs to be impeached and removed," Platner said in comments to supporters. "It's obvious. Breaks the law every single day. The problem is there are not the votes in the Senate to make it happen. And we need to be very honest about what we put our resources and time into."
A poll released this week showed Platner leading Collins by 7 points in the Maine Senate race.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive voices have largely supported impeachment calls, with some pointing to Trump's actions since returning to the White House as grounds for removal. Democratic lawmakers have called for Trump's impeachment since his second term began last year, with calls amplifying following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and around the time of the U.S.-Israeli conflict in Iran.
Some Democrats have also pushed for invocation of the 25th Amendment, which governs presidential succession. However, House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) offered a more measured stance last month when asked about Democratic priorities on "Fox News Sunday."
"I've made clear from the very beginning that our top priority is going to be to drive down the high cost of living," Jeffries said.
Platner echoed this pragmatic approach, saying Democrats should only pursue impeachment proceedings if they can secure enough Republican votes in the Senate. "If it looks like we can get the votes in the U.S. Senate with Republican senators, then absolutely, we should waste no time," he said.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican leaders have framed potential Democratic impeachment efforts as politically motivated and harmful to governance. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned at Turning Point USA's America Fest in Arizona in December that Democrats would pursue impeachment if they reclaim Congress.
"If we lose the House majority, the radical left, as you've already heard, is going to impeach President Trump," Johnson said. "They're going to create absolute chaos. We cannot let that happen."
Trump himself echoed this warning to House Republicans in January, saying he would be impeached if Democrats reclaim Congress.
Collins' campaign has not yet issued a formal response to Platner's comments. The Maine senator has generally positioned herself as a moderate Republican willing to work across the aisle.
What the Numbers Show
Platner leads Collins by 7 points, according to a poll released this week. Trump was previously impeached twice during his first term—in 2019 after Democrats regained control of Congress and again in 2021 before leaving office following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Both times, the Senate did not vote to convict him.
The Constitution requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate to remove a president from office. Currently, Republicans hold a narrow Senate majority. Even if Democrats were to win control of both chambers, securing the 13 Republican votes needed for conviction would represent a significant political challenge.
The Bottom Line
Platner's comments reflect ongoing Democratic debate over how aggressively to pursue accountability measures against Trump in a potential second term. While progressive voices support impeachment, party leaders like Jeffries have signaled that kitchen-table issues like inflation may take priority if Democrats regain congressional majorities.
The Maine Senate race is considered one of the most competitive of the 2026 cycle. Collins, first elected in 1997, has survived multiple Democratic challenges but faces a potentially difficult environment given current polling. Whether Platner's stance on impeachment resonates with Maine voters or becomes a liability remains to be seen as the campaign progresses.