ME-SEN, ME-GOV: Collons leading Platner by 1% (rounded), Shah (D) leads by 16 for gov.

[RandySF]

Link to tweet

?s=20

Politics & Poll Tracker 📡
@PollTracker2024
TPSI poll | 6/8 LV

(Full poll)

Maine statewide races 2026

Governor
🟦Nirav Shah 46.7%
🟥Robert “Bobby” Charles 31.2%
Undecided 22.1%
——
Generic congressional ballot
🟦Democratic 50.9%
🟥Republican 40.1%
Undecided 9.0%
——
US Senate
🟥Susan Collins 43.7% (incumbent)
🟦Graham Platner 43.1%
Undecided 13.2%
—
When informed of Platner’s scandals
🟦Graham Platner 48.2%
🟥Susan Collins 40.

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. Never heard of TPSI

Interesting the Platners numbers go up when voters are told about his scandals.

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. Very interesting...

assuming this poll is legit the only way I can see this happening is if the people polled mistakenly thought that the accusations being made against Platner were much more serious than they actually are. Then, when the actual so called "scandals" were described to them, they realized that they weren't serious enough to prevent them from choosing Platner over Collins.

Or there is a typo in the results

[Sympthsical]

7. I legitimately don't know how to interpret that

[Quiet Em]

10. Launched four months ago

according to their site.

[-misanthroptimist]

15. Never heard of them, either

Couple that with the fact that it conflicts with every other poll I've seen, makes me suspicious.

[Celerity]

23. The 'poll' falsely accuses him of sexual assault.

Over the last week, rumors have surfaced that Graham Platner sexually assaulted multiple women in the past.

[rogue emissary]

2. Ouch, that doesn't look good for the candidates or the Maine voters.

[EdmondDantes_]

3. The scandal information given to respondents is inaccurate

It's interesting that Collins leads by less than a point given most other polls have shown him in the lead. But the more interesting aspect is the scandal numbers, especially when you look at the incorrect framing.

https://tpsiofficial.substack.com/p/tpsi-maine-poll-shows-tight-general

"The exact wording of the question is “Over the last week, rumors have surfaced that Graham Platner sexually assaulted multiple women in the past. Platner even sent one text to a former girlfriend reading 'I would rape them to show them that I'm dominant.' "

Which is inaccurate in that he hasn't been accused of sexual assault, and the claim about him musing about rape was in the context of a man breaking in as a show of dominance not in the more common heterosexual understanding. Which while creepy, doesn't seem to me to be what's suggested in the cited quote. But that in light of the false framing, it's weird that his support would go up. Maybe if the respondents knew that was inaccurate, but then why continue answering?

[LisaL]

9. That certainly is inaccurate wording as the rumors were not about sexual assault.

And very weird that his poll numbers would go up after that claim.

[dsp3000]

4. more piling on platner.... gimme a break.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. TPSI has used AI/"synthetic" responses in the past fwiw

[LisaL]

12. From what I could google, it's not considered a high quality pollster.

NT

[Ars Longa]

18. AI/"synthetic???

OK, That fills you with confidence!!!

[Nanjeanne]

11. Any poll that asks the question in the way this poll framed it re Platner deserves to be tossed in the garbage.

Seriously - "The exact wording of the question is “Over the last week, rumors have surfaced that Graham Platner sexually assaulted multiple women in the past. Platner even sent one text to a former girlfriend reading 'I would rape them to show them that I'm dominant.' "

There is absolutely NO rumors of Platner sexually assaulting anyone. And the text as completely misquoted and out of context. This sounds more like a "polling" place that has a very clear agenda and a specific goal to muddy waters. If this is supposed to be a legitimate company doing the polling I hope the Platner team sues the shit out of them.

[LisaL]

13. And the most bizarre thing is that they claim his poll numbers improved after that.

[Nanjeanne]

14. All garbage.

[AloeVera]

19. Thank you. I was about to post the same thing. Right-wing garbage.

They have a substack. I won't link to it, the content is deplorable.

They claim it was an online poll and give no details. But the agenda is VERY clear.

[Incanus]

16. I tracked down that TPSI poll and it's the one asking voters about Platner's sexual assaults and rape threats.

The title is:

TPSI - Maine Poll shows TIGHT General Election for Senate; Scandals BOOST Platner with 2024 Trump Voters.
Collins leads 44-43 against Platner, turns into a 48-40 lead for Platner after voters are informed of SA scandals.

Shockingly, when voters are informed of sexual assault rumors, Platner improves, leading by 8.1%. The exact wording of the question is “Over the last week, rumors have surfaced that Graham Platner sexually assaulted multiple women in the past. Platner even sent one text to a former girlfriend reading 'I would rape them to show them that I'm dominant.' However, Planter's wife has defended him against these accusations. Knowing this, who would you vote for in the 2026 senate race?" This confirms suspicions that Democrats may be looking for their own Trump. Even more surprisingly, 75% of voter age 18-29 support Platner after being informed of the rumors.

https://tpsiofficial.substack.com/p/tpsi-maine-poll-shows-tight-general

Why would someone post that poll here?

[Rob H.]

20. "Why would someone post that poll here?"

Ooh! Ooh! I know this one!

[Incanus]

22. I think I do as well.

Tonight's results are going to be hard on some folks, I suppose they need to get it all out of their system now, bless their hearts.

[questionseverything]

28. Yep, they gonna have to "shake it off"

[Prairie Gates]

17. When voters are informed of Platner's "scandals" his numbers shoot up

Let me explain this effect: people are so sick of these clownish attempts at character assassination that they tell the pollster they're going to vote for him out of pure spite.

This also probably netted Trump 2%-4% in both 2016 and 2024.

So, ya know, good luck with ya bullshit, Platner attackers.

[Frasier Balzov]

21. You mean it's not because Maine voters

see themselves as scruffy scoundrels?

[mr715]

26. Is that was SS stands for?

[kentuck]

24. If Platner was a Republican, he would win easily.

But Democratic voters are different than Republican voters, in that they tend to hold their candidates to a higher standard. Whether that is good or bad is debatable.

[mr715]

25. Statistics...

Putting aside the pollster and their methodology...

That means that, at worst, Platner and Collins are tied (MoE) or Platner is ahead (outside MoE)

[UpInArms]

27. In the primary in Maine

Isn’t Platner running against Mills?

So, is this some wacky numbers shit?

[mr715]

29. This is general election polling.

The numbers are still whacky