Shutdown defeat could deepen Dem divides in Maine Senate primary

The senators who bucked their fellow Democrats to help reopen the government are largely immune from progressive fury due to retirements and the absence of 2026 reelections, but the plotline could thicken for some midterm Senate candidates.

In particular, the contentious battleground primary already in full swing in Maine may be supercharged by the shutdown-ending deal that cleared Congress Wednesday evening and was swiftly signed into law by President Donald Trump.