In Hallowell, Platner Fans Cheer While a Democrat Plans to Back Collins
Reaction split on Water Street after Gov. Janet Mills ended her Senate bid on April 30, with one longtime Democrat saying he will back Collins instead.
People in Hallowell had mixed reactions to Gov. Janet Mills' decision on April 30 to end her U.S. Senate campaign, which clears the way for Graham Platner to become the Democratic nominee, the Bangor Daily News reported.
Hallowell, one of Maine's most liberal communities even though it sits in politically mixed Kennebec County, has been a strong base for Platner's progressive populist campaign. On Water Street, a nightlife strip popular with lawmakers, responses ranged from excitement to indifference.
John Merrill, at a shop with a Platner sign in the window next to signs criticizing President Donald Trump and Sen. Susan Collins, had not heard the news but said the polls had prepared him for it. He praised Platner for naming billionaires as a big part of the problem.
Steve Marson, a longtime area businessman from Pittsfield and a registered Democrat, said he has voted Republican for years and will back Collins in fall 2026. He said the party has moved too far left, pointing to taxes, and questioned how much clout a first-term senator would have next to Collins, who is running for a sixth term and leads the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said he would support Platner if he won.
Augusta Democrat Rebecca Foster said she will probably vote for Platner despite valuing Collins' influence. Sandlin, Foster's daughter and a Hallowell resident, said she likes both candidates and has not decided how she will vote.
This story was first reported by Bangor Daily News.
