WASHINGTON (AP) — Maine Gov. Janet Mills is taking steps toward running for the U.S. Senate in 2026, sources tell The Associated Press, adding another big-name Democrat to the list of candidates expected to vie for key Republican-held seats next year.
Mills, who is term-limited next year, has made calls to prospective campaign managers, according to two sources with direct knowledge of her efforts. They spoke on condition of anonymity because Mills has not formally announced her candidacy.
Democrats would still face a difficult path to regaining the majority in a 2026 midterm election when they need to win a net of four seats, with most of the races on the ballot in states Republican President Donald Trump won comfortably last year.
But in Mills, Democrats would have a two-term governor with a record of winning statewide, in a place where Democrat Kamala Harris defeated Trump in 2024. That could mean a blockbuster race between Mills and five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Asked about the moves, aides to Mills on Tuesday noted her comments to reporters in Maine last week that she was “seriously considering” a Senate campaign. Mills has said she would announce a decision by mid-November.
