Maine Gov. Janet Mills said Thursday that she supports keeping the filibuster, breaking with most members of the Senate Democratic caucus she hopes to join as she launches a campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, herself a strong supporter of the Senate’s 60-vote requirement.

“I would certainly like to keep the filibuster,” Mills said, according to the Bangor Daily News. Mills made the comments while speaking to reporters after accepting the endorsement of Dan Kleban, the co-founder of Maine Beer Co. who had run for the Democratic nomination before Mills’ entry into the race.

Mills’ comments came on his third day of the race, which is one of the biggest in the country this year. The Democratic primary will be a clash between her and Graham Platner, a progressive oysterman. The winner will then have to face Collins, the only Republican senator from a state won by Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

US Senate candidate Janet Mills' opposition to filibuster reform could prove a major obstacle to Democratic ambitions.
US Senate candidate Janet Mills’ opposition to filibuster reform could prove a major obstacle to Democratic ambitions.

Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

In his comments, Mills, 77, also appeared to confuse the status of the filibuster, suggesting that maintaining it could give senators a say over judges. The filibuster has not been used for judicial appointments for more than a decade.

“When it comes to Trump appointing 200 judges with very questionable qualifications, I would like to have a say in those judgeships, for example,” Mills said.

If Mills’ support for the filibuster holds and she wins office, her support for the 60-vote threshold could limit Democratic ambitions in the same way that former senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema did during President Joe Biden’s administration. Without eliminating the filibuster, Democrats would be limited to using the reconciliation process to address budget issues with a simple majority and would be unable to pass any meaningful government reform or abortion rights legislation.

Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and Democrats face an uphill battle to take back the chamber in 2026 or even 2028. Republican dominance of rural states, which are given enormous additional power due to the structure of the Senate, makes it nearly impossible for Democrats to gain sizable majorities without dramatically expanding their coalition.

Eliminating or reforming the filibuster became a litmus issue for Democrats around 2020, with most Democratic senators and candidates supporting eliminating it to pass voting rights or abortion rights laws.

Abortion rights, in particular, are expected to be a major point in any Democratic challenge to Collins, who nominally supports abortion rights but voted for two Supreme Court justices (Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch) who were instrumental in overturning Roe v. Wade.

No kings.No Bias.Just the truth.

Your supportFuelsOur Mission

Your supportFuelsOur Mission

Back News that puts people first

News themezone works for our readers. Membership gives readers the power to shape the future of independent journalism. Join today and show that people lead here.

We remain committed to bringing you the unwavering, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.

Thank you again for your support along the way. We are truly grateful for readers like you! Your early support helped get us here and strengthened our newsroom, keeping us strong in uncertain times. As we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.

We remain committed to bringing you the unwavering, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.

Thank you again for your support along the way. We are truly grateful for readers like you! Your early support helped get us here and strengthened our newsroom, keeping us strong in uncertain times. As we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.

News themezone Support

Have you already contributed? Sign in to hide these messages.

EMILY’s List, which backs Mills, withdrew its support for Sinema in 2022 over her opposition to filibuster reform ahead of Democratic efforts to pass voting rights legislation.

“Right now, Senator Sinema’s decision to reject the voices of allies, partners and constituents who believe the importance of the right to vote outweighs that of an arcane process means she will find herself alone in the next election,” said the group’s then-president, Laphonza Butler.

EMILY’s List did not immediately respond to an email from News themezone seeking comment.