Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) formally kicked off her bid for a sixth term Tuesday, setting the stage for what could be one of the roughest Senate fights of the cycle.
Collins announced her run in a short social media video that shows her unboxing a pair of New Balance running shoes.
“This is perfect for 2026, because I’m running,” Collins said.
The longtime Maine centrist is the only Republican senator representing a solidly blue state, making her a top Democratic target after they failed to knock her off in 2020.
She is expected to face either Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D), who has the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), or Graham Platner, a socialist oyster farmer who has gained traction with progressive activists.
The contest is one of just two GOP-held Senate seats rated a “toss up” by the Cook Political Report, along with the North Carolina race to replace Sen. Thom Tillis (R).
US Senator Susan Collins announces 2026 reelection campaign by unboxing a new pair of shoes “because she’s running”.
😄 Witty right?
pic.twitter.com/FMF6NarY0C— DeusXMachina (@DeusXMachina14) February 10, 2026
“Susan Collins has lost the trust of Maine voters and this November they’ll hold her accountable at the ballot box,” the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said in an X post.
Collins’ announcement comes just over a week after Congress approved 11 of 12 full-year government funding bills, legislation she helped guide as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Republicans viewed that effort as critical to keeping her in the race, privately conceding the seat is unwinnable without her on the ballot.
Still, Collins has faced turbulence in recent weeks, including criticism from the White House after President Trump said in early January that she should “never be elected to office again” following her vote to restrict military force in Venezuela.
Despite the noise, Senate GOP leaders say they are firmly behind her.
“There is one way to elect a Republican in the state of Maine, and that’s for Susan Collins to be the nominee,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said last month.
