Let me just get this out right off the bat: Susan Collins is hardly my favorite Republican. She never will be. But I’m a practical conservative, and I understand what’s at stake in the 2026 midterm elections. Every seat counts. President Donald Trump’s ability to move his agenda hangs in the balance. So, buck up. Susan Collins is our Maine Lady, and right now, she’s the GOP’s best shot at keeping that seat red.
New polling out of Maine shows Collins in a strong position heading into the election. According to a Fabrizio poll taken January 20 to 24, she leads Democrat Graham Platner 51% to 38%. Against Governor Janet Mills, Collins holds a 48–42 edge.
2026 Maine Senate Race
— OSZ (@OpenSourceZone) February 5, 2026

Final ballot:
🔴 Susan Collins: 51% (+13)
🔵 Graham Platner: 38%
🔴 Susan Collins: 48% (+6)
🔵 Janet Mills: 42%
Fabrizio poll (🔴) | 1/20-1/24 pic.twitter.com/pP42m5Unxt
That’s no small feat, considering how tough it’s gotten for Republicans in the Northeast. These numbers don’t just look good—they’re the difference between a Senate that passes Trump’s legislative priorities and one that buries them.
I know what you’re thinking. “Collins? Who needs her?” Yeah, well, every seat counts, and if you want the GOP to keep the majority in the Senate, she’ll help.
Unless you would rather get rid of her to make a point.
Her two leading Democratic challengers are disasters. First, there’s Gov. Janet Mills, whose policies have turned Maine into one of the most expensive states in America. The National Republican Senatorial Committee calls her a “disaster,” and they’re not wrong. As NRSC regional press secretary Samantha Cantrell put it, “Thanks to Janet Mills’ broken promises, Mainers are paying higher taxes and more to rent their homes and buy groceries.”
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Then there’s Graham Platner. You should remember this guy. He’s the far-left firebrand who has a massive Nazi tattoo on his chest and pretended not to know what it was. Okay... he may have gotten rid of it. But that doesn’t change the fact that he had it. Platner has built his campaign on abolishing ICE, defunding the police, and cozying up to socialists like Zohran Mamdani and Bernie Sanders. He’s the far left’s favorite candidate and has had a significant lead in some polls in the Democratic primary.
So, yeah, we should be happy that Collins is ahead. We shouldn’t take that for granted, though. Obviously, Democrats see this as a potential flip and will invest big money to win it. She may not be the kind of Republican you can get excited about, but let’s be honest: Collins has survived as a Republican in one of the bluest corners of the country for decades. Maine voters know her. They trust her. That connection matters more than partisan purity when the goal is keeping the Senate conservative.
I don’t care what you think about Susan Collins personally. If she helps hold the line against a Democratic majority that wants to block everything President Trump is trying to do, that’s what matters. Losing the seat could mean losing control of the Senate, and therefore, Trump’s agenda would stall.
So yes, she frustrates me sometimes. But in a year when the GOP faces a tough map, the fact that Collins is leading both challengers is excellent news. A Republican win in Maine would do more than keep the seat red—it would help secure a Senate majority focused on passing Trump’s America First agenda. For now, we need her.
