Janet Mills Opens Can of Worms on Joe Biden Issue As Age Takes Center Stage in Maine Senate Primary Race

After Schumer-backed Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) entered the Senate race last October, there was talk as to whether she could blunt the momentum of political newcomer Graham Platner, who was endorsed early on by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) amid demands from hardline Democrats for a "fighter" who could take on President Trump and Congressional Republicans.

At the time, and in light of what happened with former President Joe Biden, some Democrats and affiliated left-wing special interest groups immediately raised concerns about Mills' age after her announcement. She was 77 when she declared her candidacy, and turned 78 in December. She would be 79 ahead of her swearing-in, should she become the nominee and defeat Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R).

"We all talk about the importance of attracting new voters and regaining the trust of certain groups that may have fallen away from the Democratic Party, and I think when you do the same old, same old, that is the last thing you are doing," ex-Pennsylvania congresswoman Susan Wild (D), who is 68, said at the time.

Here we are a few months later, and the polling on the Maine Democrat Senate primary has been all over the map. Some show Platner with double-digit leads despite issues like the Nazi tattoo scandal and despite his backstory falling apart, while others show Mills comfortably ahead.

But though the questions about Mills' age and health seemed to quiet down a bit after her initial campaign launch, where she vowed to only serve one term, they roared back to life during a recent CNN interview the governor did, where the Democrats' disdain for having a repeat of the Joe Biden debacle came up.

Here's how Mills responded:

"Do you think that the memory in your party about Joe Biden, is that going to be too much for you too?" [CNN's Manu] Raju asked.
"Good Lord! Oh, I'm not Joe Biden, for God's sake. I'm healthy. People see me at work every day. They know that I can deliver. And I have delivered," she said.

Watch:

Dem Maine Gov. @JanetMillsforME: "I’m not @JoeBiden, for God’s sake, I’m healthy" pic.twitter.com/VNR4DqUXSO
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 2, 2026

I really don't think this is an argument in her favor. I mean, in my opinion, it is implicit in her remarks that she knew about Biden's decline and said nothing. And again, what happened with Biden in 2024 and the utter collapse of the Democrat Party machine that followed as they tried and failed to make then-Vice President Kamala Harris a viable presidential candidate is something Dems universally agree they don't want to see happen again with future candidates for higher office.

Plus, Democrats have increasingly made clear in post-2024 races that they want "fresh blood" in the fight, not an establishment type who they fear would be reluctant to fight Trump every step of the way.

If she were to win, Mills would be the "oldest Senate freshman ever sworn into office." She would only be three years younger than Biden when he left office. Also like Biden, Mills' career in public office spans several decades, making her an "old-timer" in the eyes of the woke left.

As CNN put it, "No other Senate Democratic primary encapsulates the ideological, tactical and generational divides still gripping the Democratic Party than here in Maine." It will be interesting to see how this plays out and how it potentially could impact the general election matchup against Collins.

Editor’s Note: The Democrat Party has never been less popular as voters reject its globalist agenda.

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