Planned Parenthood Endorses Graham Platner Over Susan Collins in Senate Race

Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, faces criticism from Planned Parenthood for her vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh, which contributed to overturning Roe v. Wade.

On June 22, 2026, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the nation’s largest abortion rights group, endorsed Democrat Graham Platner for the Senate in Maine. This endorsement opposes Senator Collins, one of only two Republican senators who support abortion rights.

Previously, a Maine affiliate praised Ms. Collins for her longstanding support of Planned Parenthood and opposition to congressional efforts to reduce federal funding for the organization. However, at an event in Portland, Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief executive of Planned Parenthood, indicated disappointment in Collins’s advocacy efforts.

Ms. McGill Johnson stated, ‘Senator Collins is a fair-weather feminist at best. She is conveniently pro-reproductive freedom when it suits her.’

This Senate race presents challenges for Maine Democrats. Some are concerned about Mr. Platner’s reported conduct toward women, yet remain upset with Ms. Collins for her previous Kavanaugh confirmation vote in 2018. Four years later, Kavanaugh was part of the majority that overturned Roe v. Wade, which had ensured a constitutional right to abortion.

Angela Kuefler, a Democratic strategist, noted that Platner’s campaign might spotlight this issue to challenge Collins’s moderate image and gain support from female voters, a majority in Maine’s electorate.