STANDISH, Maine — Six months out from Election Day, Mainers are already getting bombarded with TV ads in the state’s marquee Senate race.
In one commercial break during Tuesday’s “Today” show, three campaign spots ran back-to-back — a snapshot of the ad war that’s already raging between Republican Sen. Susan M. Collins and her likely Democratic challenger, Graham Platner.
One Nation, a pro‑Collins outside group aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Dakota Republican, opened with a testimonial casting her as a leader against human trafficking.
“I don’t know anybody else as sincere as Susan Collins is about keeping our young people and our community safe,” a supporter says.
A Platner ad followed, featuring a state lawmaker who credited him with rallying support for a rape kit bill that eventually was approved by the state legislature after years of failed attempts.
“It’s easy to focus on your own campaign,” the advocate says. “It’s what most politicians do. But it’s not what Graham did.”
Then Pine Tree Results PAC — another pro-Collins group — aired an attack ad resurfacing Mr. Platner’s previously reported Reddit comments, telling viewers that the Democrat blamed women for getting raped because they get “f—-ed-up drunk” and that he “bragged about having a Nazi tattoo on his chest.”
“That’s the real Graham Platner,” the narrator says.
The barrage previews a race that could decide Senate control — and comes days after Gov. Janet Mills exited the Democratic primary, saying she couldn’t raise enough money to stay on TV.
Democrats are cautiously optimistic about Mr. Platner, driven in part by early polls and their shared desire to turn the page on Ms. Collins, the longest‑serving Republican woman in the Senate.
Ms. Collins’ supporters counter that she’s a proven winner and say her experience — including as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee — makes keeping her in office a no-brainer.
The race is on track to be the most expensive in Maine history.
AdImpact, an independent ad tracker, says the Maine primary has generated $53 million in spending — the most expensive Senate primary ever in Maine, topping 2020’s $36 million with two months to go. Nationally, it ranks fourth this cycle behind races in Texas, Illinois and Kentucky.
Mr. Platner has dominated the Democratic airwaves, spending $7.1 million since going on air in late January. But he never went after Ms. Mills.
Ms. Mills spent $1.8 million before suspending her campaign, including on an anti-Planter ad that Republicans have re-released online with a warning that the Democrat is a “woman-hating extremist.”
Democrat‑aligned groups have poured $9.1 million into ads attacking Ms. Collins — hitting her on immigration enforcement, inflation and the conflict in Iran.
Mr. Platner’s ads have centered on affordability and health care. He also took aim at both President Trump and Ms. Collins, including over her support for what he calls “Trump’s war on Iran.”
Republican advertisers have driven most of the spending — $33 million compared to $20.1 million from Democrats.
Outside groups have powered nearly all of Ms. Collins’ on-air presence, seeking to shore up her support early in the race.
Her campaign has spent just $768,000, far behind her 2020 pace, but outside groups have delivered $26.9 million. One Nation leads with $17.7 million, followed by Stronger America at $7 million and American Advancement at $846,000, according to AdImpact.
She has received $19 million more in outside support than at this point in 2020.
Both parties are bracing for an even pricier fall campaign.
Maine leads the 2026 cycle in reserved general election spending at $67.8 million. The Senate Leadership Fund, another group aligned with Mr. Thune, has booked $28.7 million — more than its entire 2020 investment — while Pine Tree Results PAC has reserved $18.1 million and Stronger America another $607,000.
WinSenate, which is connected to Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, has reserved $20.4 million.
