Graham Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer, has won Maine's Democratic Senate primary with roughly 74% of the vote, setting up a high-stakes general election contest against five-term Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins. Platner's campaign was repeatedly shadowed by controversy, including a tattoo linked to Nazi imagery, allegations from former girlfriends of demeaning and volatile behaviour, and reports that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with women while married — yet Democratic voters largely backed him, with analysts noting that no prominent Platner supporters switched to Collins as a result. The race is considered one of the most consequential Senate contests of the year, as Democrats view Collins — despite her history of surviving strong challenges — as a rare opportunity to flip a seat and help reclaim control of the chamber.