Susan Collins Already Defeated One of Her Possible Democrat Challengers

Shenna Bellows waited until Graham Platner imploded to jump in, and Maine Democrats are already grumbling about it. That tells you something. This wasn't a primary decided on the merits. It was a demolition derby where the last car running gets the nomination, and even her own side seems unsure she's the one they wanted left standing.

Susan Collins has survived worse than an unenthusiastic opponent. She's outlasted better-funded challengers, national money dumps, and entire election cycles built around the premise that this is finally the year Maine turns on her. What's telling here isn't Collins. It's the state of the Democratic bench. Platner flamed out badly enough that the party's fallback is a sitting Secretary of State jumping in without a groundswell behind her, more out of necessity than demand.

Democrats keep treating Collins like a formality they haven't gotten around to removing yet. Every cycle there's a new "this time it's different" candidate, and every cycle Maine voters, who actually know her record and constituent work, decide otherwise. A messy, resentful entry into the race isn't a sign of momentum. It's a sign nobody wanted to be the one holding the bag against her, and Bellows drew the short straw.

If this is the strongest opposition national Democrats can produce in a state they insist is winnable, that says plenty about where the enthusiasm actually is. Collins hasn't had to do much yet. Her opponents are doing the work for her.