National news outlets landed the biggest stories of the 2026 campaign. That’s a problem.

Out-of-towners consistently beat local reporters, revealing the hollowing out of newsrooms in towns and cities across the country

The two most important stories about the Senate race in Maine this year arguably involved revelations of alleged sexual misconduct by the Democratic candidate, Graham Platner, and allegations of corruption by the Republican incumbent, Susan Collins. The first story brought down Platner’s candidacy; the second may have contributed to Collins’ defeat at the polls last week.

The striking thing about both stories is that neither one was published by a news outlet based anywhere near Maine. The New York Times and Politico did in Platner. ProPublica and The Intercept dug up the allegations against Collins.