The Maine Senate race is shaping up to be a close contest between Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic candidate Graham Platner. According to a Fox News statewide poll, Collins has a small three percentage-point advantage, receiving 50% to Platner’s 47% among Maine registered voters.
Concerns About Both Candidates
Maine voters express concern about both Senate candidates. More than half say Platner lacks the judgment to serve as a U.S. senator, while a similar share believes Collins has been in office too long. Concerns about Platner run a bit deeper, with nearly 4 in 10 being extremely worried about his judgment compared to 3 in 10 who say the same about Collins’ lengthy tenure.
The poll also suggests voter motivation is helping keep the race competitive. Among the two-thirds of voters who say they are extremely motivated to vote, Platner leads by 9 points, 53-44%. This is driven by a 15-point enthusiasm gap, as more Democrats (76%) than Republicans (61%) describe themselves as highly motivated to cast a ballot this year.
Key Issues and Demographics
The most important issue to Maine voters in deciding their Senate vote is inflation (30%). This is followed by political divisions within the country (19%), healthcare (17%), and immigration (14%). Collins’ edge primarily comes from men (+10 points), voters without a college degree (+15), gun-owner households (+21), and rural voters (+8).
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
