Press Herald - Lawmakers recalled a bill from Gov. Janet Mills’ desk that would have allowed ranked choice voting to be used in the 2026 gubernatorial race after Mills signaled she would veto the bill. Advocates say they recalled the bill, which had been approved by both chambers, so they could ask the Maine Law Court to revisit its 2017 advisory opinion stating that using the voting method for state-level races would unconstitutional.
Newsweek - Despite her long tenure and national profile, only 14 percent of Mainers have a favorable opinion of Collins, compared to 57 percent who view her unfavorably, according to the poll.
Another 26 percent are neutral, while 2 percent say they don't know enough about her to say. That gives her a net favorability rating of –42, which is virtually unchanged from June 2022, when her rating stood at –40.
Notably, Collins' support appears weak even within her own party. Just 29 percent of Republicans have a favorable opinion of her, along with only 8 percent of independents and a mere 3 percent of Democrats.
In contrast, Democratic Governor Janet Mills remains significantly more popular and is increasingly seen as a potential challenger in 2026. Mills holds a net favorability rating of +10, with 51 percent of Mainers viewing her favorably and 41 percent unfavorably. Seven percent are neutral on Mills, and 1 percent say they don't know enough about her.
Mills' support is strongest among Democrats, 90 percent of whom view her favorably. However, her popularity is sharply divided along party lines: 91 percent of Republicans and 48 percent of Independents have an unfavorable opinion of her