A Biddeford Democrat who spent nearly 15 years as a civilian contracting officer for the U.S. Air Force is the latest candidate to announce plans to run against Sen. Susan Collins next year.

Daira Smith-Rodriguez announced her candidacy Thursday, adding her name to a growing list of candidates looking to challenge Maine’s senior senator in the 2026 Senate race.

“After seeing the weakness of career politicians like Susan Collins, I’m proud to be answering a new call to service – bringing a fresh voice to Maine families who deserve better than a broken system Collins has enabled for too long,” Smith-Rodriguez said in a prepared statement announcing her candidacy.

Her campaign did not respond to a request for an interview.

In a campaign video announcing her run, Smith-Rodriguez appeals to some of the same progressive sentiments fellow Democratic candidate Graham Platner has addressed, saying that U.S. weapons and taxpayer dollars should not “fuel a campaign of genocide in Gaza” and that the “oligarchy” is driving up prices and making life more difficult for everyday Americans.

She also speaks to issues of affordability, including in the housing market, that are top of mind for Democrats nationwide.

Smith-Rodriguez was born at the Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Washington, and spent her childhood moving around for her father’s military career, according to her website. She later became a civilian contracting officer in the Air Force and is married to a major in the Maine Air National Guard.

She is the latest candidate to join what is quickly becoming a crowded field to challenge Collins, a five-term Republican incumbent who has said she plans to run again next year.

Other Democrats in the race include Platner, a former U.S. Marine and oyster farmer from Hancock County; Dan Kleban of Cumberland, the co-founder of the Maine Beer Co.; Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer from Bristol; and David Costello, a Brunswick Democrat who ran unsuccessfully last year against Sen. Angus King.

Independent Phil Rench of Waterboro, a former senior engineer for Elon Musk’s SpaceX, also has announced his candidacy.

And Democratic Gov. Janet Mills has said she is “seriously considering” a run for Senate and may make a decision by November.

Party-affiliated candidates for Senate will need to collect between 2,000 and 2,500 signatures from Maine voters to qualify for the ballot, and can begin circulating petitions on Jan. 1, 2026. Unenrolled candidates need to gather between 4,000 and 5,000 signatures by June 1, 2026.

Signatures are due to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State by March 16, 2026, and primary elections are scheduled for June 9, 2026.