Susan Collins formally announced that she is seeking her sixth term in the U.S. Senate, portraying herself as a pragmatic, bipartisan lawmaker more interested in getting results than scoring political points or making viral content for social media.

Collins’ announcement, which she made in a column in the Bangor Daily News and in a social media video, was not a surprise. Collins has repeatedly indicated her intent to run in one of the most closely watched and competitive races in the country.

“True leaders bring both sides together to seek common ground, not shout the loudest or seek the most social media clicks,” Collins wrote. “I have a proven record of working for you, and I’m running for reelection because my experience, seniority and independence matter.”

The five-term Republican’s announcement comes one week after President Donald Trump signed five more budget bills she helped negotiate as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee into law. The measures contained more than $425 million in earmarks for projects in Maine.

Collins is widely considered the most endangered Republican senator running in the 2026 cycle. She’s the last New England Republican in Congress and the only Republican running in a state won by Democrats in the 2024 presidential election.

While Collins positions herself as a moderate deal-maker, Democrats reminded voters that she has been a reliable vote for President Donald Trump.

Local and national Democrats highlighted her crucial vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, which eventually resulted in the end of federal abortion rights. Collins also cast a key vote to advance the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which eventually became law, and which contained nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid.

Before taking on Collins, Democrats must navigate a competitive primary between two-term Gov. Janet Mills, the 78-year-old who is preferred by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer; and political newcomer Graham Platner, a 41-year-old combat veteran and oyster farmer backed by progressives and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

This is a developing story.

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – Former two-time Maine gubernatorial candidate and disbarred attorney Eliot Cutler was taken into custody Monday after he was accused of violating his probation for a third time in the past five months.

Maine State Police officials said detectives were conducting a separate, unrelated investigation in Cumberland County when they encountered Cutler at a South Portland hotel Monday afternoon.

State police said during the interaction, detectives determined Cutler was in violation of the conditions of his probation.

Cutler, 79, of Brooklin, was arrested by the Maine State Police Special Victims Unit after Cutler’s probation officer was consulted.

Police said Cutler was transported to the Cumberland County Jail, where he is being held on a probation hold.

In May 2023, Cutler pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of sexually explicit materials of children as part of a plea deal. Prosecutors said investigators had found tens of thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material on Cutler’s electronic devices.

As part of his plea deal, Cutler was sentenced to four years in prison with all but nine months suspended and received six years of probation. He reported to the Hancock County Jail in June 2023. In January 2024, Cutler was released from jail about six weeks early for good behavior.

The first probation violation case surfaced in November 2025. Cutler was accused of using an external USB drive on Sept. 8, 2025, to access content related to massage parlors in the San Francisco area. An affidavit also indicates Cutler is accused of answering questions about his desired preferences in an escort through a menu on the website. The alleged activity coincided with a request Cutler made for a travel permit to go to California to see friends, the affidavit states. Cutler appeared in court on Dec. 16, 2025, and denied claims that he accessed prohibited websites, used unmonitored electronic devices and failed to report that activity to his probation officer.

On Jan. 13, Cutler turned himself in to authorities after prosecutors alleged he violated the terms of his release on Dec. 28, 2025, and again on Jan. 2, 2026.

As part of the case, prosecutors asked a judge to seal materials, including screenshot images of video material, submitted with an arrest warrant affidavit. Prosecutors said the attachments include sexually explicit images and raised concerns about privacy and the possible involvement of a minor.

“At least one of the images depicts a relatively young female with reference to the word ‘girl,’” according to court documents.

A judge granted the request, ordering the materials sealed from public view.

Cutler ran twice for governor of Maine as an independent candidate. In 2010, Cutler lost to Republican candidate Paul LePage by fewer than 10,000 votes and finished nearly 99,000 votes ahead of Democratic candidate Libby Mitchell. But in 2014, Cutler finished well behind the incumbent LePage and Democratic nominee Mike Michaud.

In July 2024, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court officially ordered that Cutler be disbarred after he agreed to stop practicing law in the state in February. Cutler was also disbarred in the state of New York.

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