Maine Gov. Janet Mills suspended her bid for Senate on Thursday, saying she made the “incredibly difficult decision” because her campaign didn’t have enough money.
“While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else ― the fight ― to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources,” Mills said in a statement.
Mills bowing out clears the way for oysterman and Marine veteran Graham Platner to be the Democratic nominee in a general election against incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R) and completes one of the most astounding political flops in recent memory.
The race against Collins, a moderate who triumphed in a bitter and hugely expensive battle in 2020, is a must-win if Democrats hope to take back the Senate in this year’s midterm elections.
The 78-year-old Mills had been the Democratic establishment’s preferred candidate, but polls suggested Democratic primary voters preferred the 41-year-old progressive newcomer. The race split the Democratic Party, with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) backing Mills while progressives like Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) favored her challenger.
