Maine's Democratic Senate primary has erupted into a fierce battle over electability as Governor Janet Mills attacks her rival Graham Platner's controversial online history. The 78-year-old governor is spending heavily on attack ads highlighting Platner's past dismissive remarks about sexual assault and other inflammatory comments from his 20s and 30s.

Mills argues that Platner's extensive online paper trail, including homophobic slurs and anti-LGBTQ jokes, would doom Democrats against Republican Senator Susan Collins. The primary represents a critical test for Democrats seeking to flip the Senate seat, with national implications as the party weighs whether experience or outsider energy offers the better path to victory.

Platner, a 41-year-old oysterman and veteran, counters that Mills' establishment ties make her the riskier nominee. He suggests voters have grown more tolerant of controversial pasts in the Trump era and that his populist appeal could energize the Democratic base. The Republican campaign arm has invested $42 million supporting Collins, underscoring the race's importance as Democrats debate what constitutes electability in today's political landscape.