Maine Gov. Janet Mills Ends Senate Bid, Clearing the Way For Graham Platner

Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign for the U.S. Senate Thursday, all but ensuring progressive oyster farmer Graham Platner will face Republican Senator Susan Collins in November.The announcement marks a stunning denouement for the two-term governor and former attorney general and district attorney in the state. Mills was recruited by national Democrats to run and had the backing of Senate leaders, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. For months, Mills had been telling voters she was the more electable candidate against Collins, who has held the seat since 1997 and defied tough political headwinds before. But Mills had recently pulled down her TV advertisement buys, and polling of the race showed her trailing Platner by as many as 30 points ahead of the June 9 primary. Mills did not mention Platner or the general election race in the announcement suspending her campaign, blaming her exit on a lack of financial resources she'd need to continue. Platner has outspent her $4.8 million to $1.5 million since entering the race, according to ad-tracking group AdImpact. The governor pledged to spend the remaining eight months of her term fighting “relentlessly for the people of Maine.” “I step back from campaigning with unending love, admiration,