Meet The Candidates
Maine Democrats
Browse candidates for the 2026 General Election:
U.S. House
Chellie Pingree | CD1 Candidate
Chellie Pingree has spent her life doing what Mainers do: working hard, solving problems, and giving back to her community.
After moving to Maine as a teenager, Chellie built her life on the offshore island of North Haven, where she raised three children, worked as an organic farmer, and started successful small businesses. She knows firsthand the challenges of making payroll, creating jobs, and keeping a small business going in a rural community. In 1981, she started North Island Yarn, which grew to employ local workers on the island. Later, she helped launch Nebo Lodge and played a key role in bringing Turner Farm back into production, strengthening North Haven’s local food economy.
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Chellie never set out to be a politician. She started by serving her neighbors in the roles that needed filling, including as the town tax assessor and chair of the local school board. In 1992, she won an upset victory for a Maine State Senate seat in a predominantly Republican district and went on to serve four terms, eventually becoming Senate Majority Leader. There, she earned a reputation as a fearless advocate for working families, affordable health care, small businesses, education, and Maine’s environment.
In 2008, Chellie was elected to Congress to represent Maine’s First District. In Washington, she has built a record of delivering real results for Maine people. Serving on the Appropriations Committee, she has fought to strengthen local communities, support veterans, expand access to health care, and stand up for farmers, fishermen, and working families.
Through it all, Chellie has stayed grounded in the values she learned on North Haven: work hard, be accountable to your neighbors, and use common sense to get things done.
U.S. Senate
Graham Platner | Senate Candidate
Born in Blue Hill and raised in Ellsworth & Sullivan, Graham is a lifelong Mainer. He is a Marine, Army veteran, oyster farmer, and Chair of the Sullivan Planning Board.
Whether enlisting in the Marine Corps, working in his community, or running for Senate to get money out of politics, the core of every decision Graham made is: how can he best serve Maine?
After graduating high school during the height of the Iraq War, Graham snuck into his father’s office to retrieve his birth certificate, so he could enlist in the Marine Corps.
After completing training, Graham was assigned to Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines. He deployed to Al-Anbar Province, Iraq, where he served primarily in the area east of Fallujah. In 2006, he deployed to Ramadi as a machine gun section leader at the Government Center. He deployed again in 2007.
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After his third deployment, Graham enrolled at GW University using the GI Bill, but realized his time serving wasn’t over. In 2009, he joined the Maryland Army National Guard and later deployed to Afghanistan as a rifle team leader.
He returned from Afghanistan and went back to school in 2011. Like many veterans, Graham struggled with undiagnosed PTSD and physical challenges from combat. He withdrew and moved back home, where he used VA resources to get the help he needed.
After four tours overseas, Graham was disillusioned with America’s failed foreign policy and endless wars and focused on serving his community. He began working on a small oyster farm, eventually taking it over, and started a diving and mooring service, and serving Sullivan as Harbormaster and Planning Board Chair.
He met Amy Gertner in 2023 and got married soon after. They live three doors down from where Graham grew up with their two dogs, Gryffin and Zevon, and their cat, Neptune.
ME Governor
The results of the governor primary election have not been declared yet. Check back later for more information.