Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced Tuesday that she’ll enter the race to defeat Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a top target in national Democrats’ bid to regain the Senate.

Mills was recruited by Democratic Senate leaders after her high-profile confrontation with President Donald Trump in February, a dispute that triggered a wave of retaliatory moves by his administration against the state. The exchange is featured in her launch ad .

In an interview, Mills said the interaction was a “jaw-dropping” moment that showcased Trump’s monarch-like aspirations. She said it also pushed her to consider running for a Senate seat that she previously never considered.

“When I was a little girl growing up in Farmington, my father always said you have to stand up to bullies. You can’t let them hav

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