{"id":2620836,"date":"2026-06-29T09:42:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T13:42:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-senate-polling-stays-tight-as-platner-hammers-collins-on-abortion\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T09:42:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T13:42:44","slug":"maine-senate-polling-stays-tight-as-platner-hammers-collins-on-abortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/maine-senate-polling-stays-tight-as-platner-hammers-collins-on-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine Senate polling stays tight as Platner hammers Collins on abortion"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmaine-senate-polling-stays-tight-as-platner-hammers-collins-on-abortion%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2620836&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and oyster farmer Graham Platner are in a tight race for Maine\u2019s Senate seat, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bidens-job-approval-is-underwater-in-all-but-four-states-poll\/\" title=\"Biden\u2019s Job Approval Is Underwater In All But Four States: Poll\">recent polls showing<\/a> a nearly even split.Platner has focused his campaign on criticizing Collins\u2019s abortion record and her vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whom he notes helped overturn Roe v. Wade. He received an endorsement from Planned Parenthood and advocates for federal protection of abortion rights. Collins maintains her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/i-was-ambivalently-pro-choice-then-i-learned-a-harsh-truth\/\" title=\"I Was Ambivalently Pro Choice. Then I Learned A Harsh Truth.\">pro-choice stance<\/a> while defending her Kavanaugh vote, emphasizing her focus on qualifications and integrity over the abortion issue. The race is influenced by debates over reproductive rights, with most voters citing economic concerns as more important. Platner faces scrutiny over past controversies, including allegations of aggressive treatment of a woman and a Nazi-like tattoo, which many voters are aware of. The contest is considered a toss-up by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iran-agrees-to-extend-un-nuclear-checks-for-3-months\/\" title=\"Iran agrees to extend UN nuclear checks for 3 months\">political analysts<\/a>, with Collins having held her seat for nearly 30 years, despite Maine\u2019s tendency to vote Democratic in recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-is-going-on-minnesota-and-wisconsin-both-had-89-90-turnout-something-that-is-highly-unlikely\/\" title=\"What is Going On? Minnesota and Wisconsin BOTH had 89%-90% Turnout -- Something That Is Highly Unlikely\">presidential elections<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/susan-collins\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1302\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) and oyster farmer <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22643\">Graham Platner<\/a> are locked in a dead heat in their race for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maine\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"193\">Maine<\/a>\u2018s senate seat, as Platner hits Collins on her abortion record while attempting to circumvent attention from his stack of personal controversies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The latest poll from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/new-york-times\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"70\">the <em>New York Times<\/em><\/a>, the <em>Portland Press Herald<\/em>, and Siena College has Democrat Platner slightly leading incumbent Collins by 2 percentage points, which is less than the poll\u2019s margin of error. The close race could come down to the votes of Maine <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/women\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2576\">women<\/a>, who have comprised the majority of past Senate race electorates in the state, the outlet <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/06\/29\/us\/politics\/collins-platner-maine-senate-poll.html\">reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4626484\/establishment-democrats-will-lose-joe-concha\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Establishment Democrats will lose\u2019: Joe Concha<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4626376\/new-complaint-dan-sullivan-challenger-targets-campaign-finance\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>New complaint over Dan Sullivan challenger with the same name targets campaign finance<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4622357\/mamdani-new-york-democratic-establishment-primary-takeaways\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mamdani\u2019s New York takeover rattles Democratic establishment: Four takeaways from Tuesday\u2019s primaries<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Platner maintains 49% of the support from the likely voters polled by the outlet, compared to Collins\u2019s 47%, he has begun to hit Collins harder on the issue of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/abortion\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"200\">abortion<\/a> and her 2018 vote to confirm Supreme Court justice <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/brett-kavanaugh\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"385\">Brett Kavanaugh<\/a>, who helped overturn <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em> in 2022. Last Monday, Platner secured the endorsement of Planned Parenthood, an organization that has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/subscriber.politicopro.com\/article\/2020\/01\/planned-parenthood-endorses-collins-challenger-1866164\">supported<\/a> Collins in the past, while hammering Collins on her deciding Kavanaugh vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe idea that confirming Brett Kavanaugh would not have an impact on the future of reproductive rights, that was not something that came out of nowhere,\u201d Platner <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/wgme.com\/news\/local\/planned-parenthood-endorses-graham-platner-while-senator-susan-collins-defends-justice-brett-kavanaugh-support-maine-senate-race-politics-health-healthcare\">said<\/a> at the Planned Parenthood event. \u201cThere were many people who called it out for what it was, and Susan Collins chose to go the other way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platner, himself, supports a federal-level <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.grahamforsenate.com\/platform\">guarantee<\/a> of women\u2019s abortion access and has campaigned on this point, telling the endorsement event crowd the federal government needs to \u201cmake sure we are not one bad judge away from seeing rights stripped away from 26 million Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Collins, however, has stood by her vote for Kavanaugh while maintaining her stance as a pro-choice Republican.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI do not regret that vote. I do disagree with Justice Kavanaugh\u2019s vote. I would point out that in that decision several Supreme Court Justices whom I supported voted the other way,\u201d Collins, who has voted for several liberal justices, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newscentermaine.com\/article\/news\/politics\/maine-politics\/susan-collins-brett-kavanaugh-vote-graham-platner-maine-senate-race\/97-b2ec9709-ce9a-4bc3-a213-18d771ca1931\">said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen I look at a justice, I look at their qualifications, their integrity, their background, their experience in reaching a decision,\u201d Collins added. \u201cObviously, I\u2019m disappointed in that decision, which <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >turned abortion issues back<\/a> to the states. It has not had an impact on the state of Maine in that Maine actually expanded its law.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Abortion is legal in Maine up to the point of fetal viability. In the new poll, less than 0.5% of respondents said that abortion was the most important issue related to their vote in the state, as most respondents focused on the economy. Just over half of the respondents in the poll were women, and it had more Democratic and Independent respondents than Republicans.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scandal-ridden Platner has also faced blowback, as he was recently confronted with allegations about his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4596015\/graham-platner-allegations-treatment-women\/\">aggressive treatment of a woman<\/a> with whom he was in a relationship. Platner has denied the allegations that surfaced ahead of the primary, but 76% of voters in the poll said they had heard about his various controversies, including those allegations and the fact that he has a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4581699\/dem-jake-auchincloss-refuses-endorse-platner-disqualifying-tattoo\/\">tattoo resembling Nazi imagery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4611555\/susan-collins-kavanaugh-vote-abortion\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4611555\">COLLINS SAYS \u2018I DO NOT REGRET\u2019 CONFIRMING KAVANAUGH DESPITE ROE V. WADE REVERSAL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Cook Political Report <\/em>lists the Senate race as a toss-up race, having shifted it from \u201cLeans Republican\u201d in October 2025.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Collins has held her GOP Senate seat for nearly three decades, while Maine has voted Democratic in the past nine presidential elections.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Collins and Platner tied in Maine Senate race amid abortion debates<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2620837,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-qm1g0wor4-1781055545502-e1781057339789.jpg?1782724174&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[4310,9148,5894,15698,3740],"class_list":["post-2620836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-abortion","tag-maine","tag-politics","tag-polling","tag-senate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-qm1g0wor4-1781055545502-e1781057339789.jpg?1782724174&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2620836"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620836\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2620840,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2620836\/revisions\/2620840"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2620837"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2620836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2620836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2620836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}