Maine Brewery Owner Joins Race To Take On Gop Sen. Susan Collins

Dan Kleban is betting that thing is brewing successful Maine, and he’s not talking astir his company’s latest ray ale.

Kleban, a Democrat who is simply a co-founder of Maine Beer Co., says Mainers person mislaid assurance successful Republican Sen. Susan Collins up of her re-election title adjacent year, truthful he’s jumping into nan title to conclusion her.

“The costs of surviving up present is excessively damn high. People are being squeezed, and Susan Collins isn’t doing capable to thief families retired up here,” Kleban said successful an question and reply Tuesday up of his run motorboat Wednesday. Kleban said Collins “went Washington, and she stopped looking retired for Mainers.”

"People up present are struggling,” Kleban added later. “We’re a bunch of difficult workers up here. We don’t inquire for a lot. We don’t inquire for handouts. All we inquire is we get a adjacent shake.”

The title is cardinal to immoderate way to a Democratic Senate mostly adjacent year, erstwhile nan statement needs to nett 4 seats to return power of nan chamber. And nan increasing superior whitethorn nonstop broader signals astir nan authorities of nan Democratic Party beyond Maine.

Collins is nan only Republican legislator successful a authorities erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris won past year, making her Democrats’ apical target.

Collins, who has yet to officially denote that she is moving for re-election, has been reliable to beat. First elected successful 1996, she has fostered individual relationships pinch voters and has proven she has bipartisan appeal. She won her 5th word successful 2020 by 9 points moreover arsenic President Donald Trump mislaid Maine by nan aforesaid margin. Last year, Trump mislaid Maine by 7 points.

Kleban and different Democrats judge Collins whitethorn beryllium much susceptible this year, moreover though she collapsed pinch Trump by opposing his signature taxation trim and spending law, known arsenic nan “big, beautiful bill.” Kleban noted that Collins voted to beforehand that authorities earlier she yet opposed it and called her actions “the emblematic wrong D.C. bulls--- authorities that group are conscionable fed up with.”

Democrats person already started to effort to overgarment Collins arsenic a Washington insider. Majority Forward, nan nonprofit limb of nan main ace PAC backing Senate Democrats, launched a $700,000 advertisement campaign against Collins connected Tuesday, knocking her connected legislature banal trading.

But Democrats will first person to contend pinch a increasing superior section that now includes Kleban arsenic good arsenic oyster husbandman Graham Platner, an Army and Marine veteran; Jordan Wood, who was main of unit to Katie Porter, D-Calif., erstwhile she was successful nan House; and David Costello, a erstwhile charismatic pinch nan U.S. Agency for International Development and nan Maryland authorities government.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who can’t tally for re-election because of word limits, is besides considering moving against Collins. She precocious told section reporters that she would determine by mid-November.

Platner and Wood person both pledged to enactment successful nan race if Mills jumps in. Kleban declined to opportunity whether he would do nan same, saying, "We’ll transverse that span erstwhile we travel to it.”

Meanwhile, nan Democratic superior is already heating up.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., endorsed Platner complete nan play and appeared pinch him astatine 1 of his “Fight nan Oligarchy” rallies Monday.

Asked astir Sanders’ involvement, Kleban said that he doesn’t cognize Platner and that he would enactment focused connected his ain campaign.

A self-described “pragmatist,” Kleban plans to accent his activity arsenic a small-business owner. Pressed to mention personification successful his statement he sees arsenic a beardown leader, he pointed to Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona.

Kleban said he empathizes pinch Mainers who struggle to make ends meet, noting that he and his relative launched Maine Beer Co. aft he was laid disconnected from his occupation during nan Great Recession. With nan motto “Do what’s right,” which he highlighted successful his run motorboat video, Kleban said, his institution has grown while besides contributing costs to biology groups, paying its labor a "living wage" and covering their wellness security costs.

Kleban did praise Collins backmost successful 2015 for her activity connected taxation alleviation for mini businesses, which he likened successful nan question and reply to a surgery clock’s still being “right doubly a day.” He acknowledged Collins has done immoderate good, but he accused her of having mislaid touch pinch Mainers, pointing to her votes to corroborate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh successful 2020 and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arsenic wellness and quality services caput this year.

If Kleban prevails successful his primary, he would beryllium moving against Collins arsenic a Democrat amid record-low ratings for his party, but he sees a way guardant for Democrats.

“What I’m going to do is connection voters a imagination of nan early that’s inspirational. How are we going to make their lives amended and not get bogged down successful societal issues?” he said, saying he plans to attraction connected improving entree to affordable lodging and value wellness care.

“We request to beryllium that we tin beryllium nan statement that makes people’s lives better,” he said.