Mills doesn't endorse Troy Jackson, but says Collins 'should be defeated'

Gov. Janet Mills, D-Maine, on Wednesday declined to endorse Democratic Senate candidate Troy Jackson, but reiterated her belief that Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, should be voted out of office.

Mills faced off against Graham Platner in the Democratic primary, but lost decisively. Platner later withdrew in the face of scandal and the state party backed Jackson, the former state Senate president, to replace him.

“We haven’t spoken, but clearly Susan Collins is vulnerable, and she should be — she should be defeated,” she told local outlet WMTV News 8.

Collins has consistently won reelection in the blue-leaning state, even in years that have favored Democrats. She has long positioned herself as a moderate member of the Republican conference.

Jackson has racked up endorsements from most of Platner's former backers and much of the political establishment, but the overall drama of the Platner's withdrawal seems poised to hover over his campaign, at least in the short term.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.