Targeted by Democrats and disowned by the President, the moderate Republican launches a fight for her political life that could decide the Senate’s fate.

Susan Collins has never walked away from a fight, but she has never faced one quite like this. The senior Senator from Maine, a solitary figure of moderation in a polarized age, officially launched her bid for a sixth term today. In doing so, she steps into a political crossfire that would wither a lesser politician. She is the "Last of the Mohicans"—a New England Republican trying to survive in a blue state while simultaneously fending off attacks from the leader of her own party.

The Trump Vendetta

The shadow of Donald Trump looms large over this race. Collins remains the only GOP senator representing a state Trump lost in 2024, and her voting record reflects that independence. Her refusal to back the President’s "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and her vote to block funding for his foreign aid cuts earned her a public excommunication. "She should never be elected to office again," Trump posted recently. In most GOP primaries, that is a death sentence. In Maine, it might be her only lifeline.

• The Democratic Pincer: On her left, the sharks are circling. Democrats see Maine as one of the four essential flips needed to retake the Senate. Governor Janet Mills and oyster farmer-turned-politician Graham Platner are lining up to paint Collins as an enabler of the very administration she clashes with.
• The Record: Collins is running on "pragmatic results," citing her role in delivering billions to Maine via the Appropriations Committee. "True leaders bring both sides together," she wrote in her op-ed, a subtle dig at the chaos in Washington.

A National Bellwether

This is not just a local race; it is a referendum on the center. If Collins falls, the Senate likely swings to the Democrats, and the last vestige of Northeastern Republicanism dies with her. If she survives, it proves that all politics is still local, and that a reputation for independence can withstand even the wrath of a President. The battle for Maine is on, and Susan Collins is standing alone in the arena.