Maine Gov. Janet Mills declined Tuesday to endorse Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson, even as she argued that incumbent Sen. Susan Collins faces a difficult path to reelection and should be defeated.
Speaking in an interview with WMTW News 8, the Democratic governor confirmed that she has not yet spoken with Jackson since he secured the party’s nomination for the U.S. Senate.
“We haven’t spoken, but clearly Susan Collins is vulnerable, and she should be — she should be defeated,” Mills said.
Although Mills criticized Collins and suggested the longtime Republican senator faces significant political challenges heading into the general election, she stopped short of offering Jackson her formal endorsement.
Jackson officially became the Democratic nominee last week after former candidate Graham Platner withdrew from the race following allegations of sexual assault.
Platner’s exit dramatically reshaped the Democratic primary contest just days before delegates gathered to select the party’s nominee. Several other candidates also left the race in an effort to consolidate support among the 601 Democratic delegates responsible for choosing the nominee.
When delegates cast their ballots, Jackson emerged as the overwhelming favorite. The former president of the Maine Senate received 566 votes, securing the Democratic nomination and positioning himself to challenge Collins in the upcoming general election.
Since winning the nomination, Jackson has also received support from former Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris endorsed Jackson after his victory, saying she could relate to the limited amount of time he has to campaign before voters head to the polls.
Mills, however, has not followed suit.
Instead of endorsing Jackson, the governor focused her remarks on Collins and the Republican senator’s reelection prospects. Mills argued that Collins faces what she described as a steep challenge this election cycle and said that challenge is deserved.
The governor also accused Collins of allowing President Donald Trump to abuse his authority, making clear her criticism of the incumbent senator even while withholding an endorsement of her party’s nominee.
The decision marks the latest instance in which Mills has refrained from publicly backing a Democratic Senate candidate during the current election cycle.
Earlier this year, Mills ended her own Senate campaign after dropping out of the race in April. At the time, she also declined to endorse Platner, who was then seeking the Democratic nomination before later exiting the contest.
With the Democratic nomination now settled, Jackson is preparing for the general election after securing overwhelming support from party delegates. His campaign has already attracted a high-profile endorsement from Harris, while Mills has remained on the sidelines despite expressing confidence that Collins is politically vulnerable.
The governor’s latest comments underscore her belief that Collins should be defeated but leave unanswered whether she will eventually offer her endorsement to Jackson as the general election campaign continues.
For now, Mills has made clear that while she views Collins as facing a difficult reelection battle, she is not yet publicly backing the Democratic nominee challenging the incumbent Republican senator.
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