A 40-year-old oyster farmer and U.S. Army veteran is hoping to unseat five-term Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) next year: “She pretends to be a moderate."

The 40-year-old veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars joins a growing field of challengers for Collins’ seat as Democrats hope to retake the Senate.

Graham Platner, an oyster farmer from Downeast Maine, made his campaign official Tuesday night from Ellsworth. Platner is a Marine and Army veteran from Sullivan. He says he never built his life around running for U.S. Senate but adds he believes the direction America is heading in is not acceptable.