BLUE HILL, Maine — Allies of Sen. Susan Collins wasted little time gearing up for a bruising battle with oyster farmer Graham Platner now that he has officially clinched the Democratic nomination for Senate.

Eager to defend the critical Senate seat that could be instrumental in determining the balance of power in the upper chamber, Collins’ allies lashed out at Platner over his many scandals.

“Today marks the beginning of the end for Graham Platner. He will be exposed, his agenda destroyed, and Mainers will reject him,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), who chairs the National Republican Senatorial Committee, declared on X.

“No amount of DC Democrat support or left-wing billionaire backing will save him.”

The NRSC released a quick video juxtaposing Collins’ lengthy legislative record with Platner’s baggage.

“Graham Platner delivers scandals. Susan Collins delivers results. In Maine, the choice is clear,” the NRSC declared.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee slammed Platner as a “sick and deranged person.”

The Collins campaign touted the incumbent senator’s focus on “practical” issues that are important to Maine voters, in a statement that did not mention Platner by name. 

“Mainers aren’t looking for bitter campaigns, grand promises, or angry speeches riddled with lies. They’re looking for results,” Shawn Roderick, a spokesperson for Collins’ campaign, said “They want affordable health care, safe communities, good-paying jobs, strong schools, and someone who will show up and do the work.

“That’s why Senator Susan Collins continues to earn the support of Republicans, Democrats, and independents across Maine,” Roderick continued. “While others talk about revolution and division, Susan Collins is delivering for Maine communities by funding rural hospitals, supporting our shipbuilders and fishermen, improving infrastructure, expanding broadband, and strengthening public safety.

“Maine people are practical. They care about whether their communities are stronger and their families are better off. That’s exactly what Susan Collins is focused on every single day.”

Collins herself refrained from flamethrowing against Platner.

Though she told CNN that the accusations against him “are extremely troubling and serious, and he owes the people of Maine a detailed answer.”

The Pine Tree State Republican celebrated her nomination for a historic sixth term from Washington, DC, Tuesday night while maintaining her perfect attendance record on Capitol Hill. She had an uncontested primary.

Since taking office in 1997, Collins (R-Maine) has not missed a single vote, having taken part in her 10,000th roll call last week.

The 73-year-old is the first senator in US history to cast 10,000 votes in a row.

Despite Collins running unopposed, her campaign held a small watch party in Maine to celebrate her nomination.

Meanwhile, her general election foe, the embattled Platner, celebrated his clinching of the Democratic nomination at a YMCA in Blue Hill, roughly two and a half hours north of Portland.

Platner has barnstormed Maine since last summer, holding at least 83 town halls while needling Collins for not doing the same.

Collins, the lone Republican to represent a New England state in Congress, is considered one of the most moderate members of the Senate and frequently tops the Lugar Center’s ranking of most bipartisan senators based on legislation sponsored or co-sponsored.

“The one thing that Susan Collins can actually claim is that she has a lot of seniority and she technically has power as chair of [the Senate] Appropriations [Committee],” Platner told his supporters at a town hall in Portland over the weekend.

“Appropriations is an incredibly powerful committee, and I firmly believe that every small population state needs at least one senator who is dedicated to building power on Appropriations in order to bring money back to their state.”

If Platner were to unseat Collins, it would take years for him to get a seat on the Appropriations Committee due to the upper chamber’s seniority rules.

“Susan Collins loves to brag about it. I’m like, you don’t get a gold star for showing up at work,” Platner complained. “It’s important to remember that Susan Collins will not be the senator from Maine someday. … we’re going to lose [that power].”

Collins is lagging Platner by 7.4 percentage points in the RealClearPolitics polling aggregate, which underestimated her support by double digits during her 2020 re-election bid.