Once-favored Democrat suspends Senate campaign, opening door for extremist Graham Platner

The Senate race in Maine just got a surprise shakeup as election season draws near.

Incumbent Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills announced on Thursday that she will be dropping out of the Senate race.

'I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources.'

Mills announced that she will be suspending her campaign while touting her achievements, which she said have ultimately been frustrated "by a Republican administration that is blind to science, deaf to the cries of those in need of medical care, and ignorant of the needs of regular families."

In her statement, she continued: "While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else — the fight — to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunately require today: the financial resources. That is why today I have made the incredibly difficult decision to suspend my campaign for the United States Senate."

RELATED: 2 more staffers ditch Graham Platner's troubled Senate campaign amid Nazi, communism scandals

Graham PlatnerSophie Park/Getty Images

Janet Mills is currently 78 years old. Had she been elected, she would have been one of the oldest freshman senators in history.

Despite being a favorite at the beginning of the race, Mills fell behind in the polls and in fundraising compared to her Democratic primary opponent, far-left progressive candidate Graham Platner. The Maine primary election is scheduled for June 9.

Mills stepping away from the race likely sets up Platner to face Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the general election.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!