Mills quits Maine Senate race leaving Democrat novice in running

Mills quits Maine Senate race leaving Democrat novice in running23 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAnthony ZurcherNorth America correspondentBloomberg via Getty ImagesAt 78, Janet Mills' age became an issue in the race – particularly in contrast with the 41-year-old Graham PlatnerMaine Governor Janet Mills on Thursday morning announced she was abandoning her bid for the Democratic nomination to take on incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins in November's general election.Her announcement was shocking – but ultimately unsurprising.Mills has been a popular governor in the state and was the top choice of a national Democrat establishment targeting the Maine Senate seat as a lynchpin in its effort to wrest control of the chamber from Republicans in this year's midterm congressional elections. But her campaign never gained momentum, and she had trailed political novice Graham Platner in primary-preference surveys for months – an early indication that this year, Democratic voters may be open to backing more non-traditional candidates."While I have the drive and passion, the commitment and experience, and above all else – the fight – to continue on," she wrote in a statement announcing her decision, "I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources".Platner, a Marine Corps veteran who runs an oyster-farming business in the state, now has an open path to the Democratic nomination. When he launched his political campaign in August with a video touting his working-class roots, he became a favourite among left-wing Democrats nationally.That translated into a fundraising-boost – with $3m (£2.2m) within the first seven weeks of starting his campaign. Platner garnered endorsements from progressive leaders like Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and centrists such as Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, as well as support from le...