The Early Line

Evans-Novak political report looks at where the Maine race stands on day one:

Maine: Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine) is surely a more formidable challenger to Sen. Susan Collins (R) than her 2002 opponent, Chellie Pingree (D). Collins is a moderate who is nonetheless the more conservative of Maine's two Republican senators. She is beloved in Maine, but after the defeat of so many Northeastern Republican moderates in 2006--including Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.)--there is doubt as to whether they can long survive.

Allen already had more than $800,000 on hand to Collins's $1.2 million in campaign money as of the end of March. Her fundraising clip was much faster in the first quarter, but this will change as soon as he makes his official announcement over the Memorial Day weekend. Collins is already being attacked by outside groups on television for opposing an Iraq withdrawal timetable.