A new poll of Maine’s Senate contest shows Democratic nominee Graham Platner ahead of incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Multiple outlets report the race is close to a 1-in-10-vote margin, with Platner holding about a 9-point lead in one referenced survey. The polling cited across reports indicates 51% of likely voters support Platner versus 42% for Collins, though at least one outlet characterizes the race as moving toward a tie after recent developments.
The controversy driving much of the discussion is the release of allegations that Platner sexted up to a dozen women while married, which some reports say has affected how voters view his candidacy. News outlets also note that Collins does not comment on the allegations as Maine voters head toward primary voting.
In the broader campaign context, reporting describes a heated race in both the Democratic nomination phase and preparations for the November general election. CBS and Bloomberg also highlight that voters are weighing the outcome of primaries, while NPR includes questions posed to Platner about how he plans to defeat Collins in the upcoming Senate election.
