Maine Democrats Seek New Senate Nominee After Platner Withdraws
8 verified4 unconfirmed
Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, ended his campaign after a woman he dated accused him of sexual assault in 2021. Platner denied the allegation but said the resulting loss of campaign resources forced him to step aside. The Maine Democratic Party now has until July 27 to select a replacement nominee under state law. The party announced it will hold a nominating convention to choose a candidate, though details on the process have not yet been released. Several Democrats have declared their interest in replacing Platner, including former gubernatorial candidates and state officials. The eventual nominee will face Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term in a race critical to Democratic hopes of winning control of the Senate. National Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, had warned they would not invest in the race if Platner remained on the ballot.
What’s verified
Platner dropped out after a woman he dated, Jenny Racicot, accused him of sexual assault in 2021; he denied the allegation.
The Maine Democratic Party must select a replacement by July 27.
The party will hold a nominating convention to choose a new nominee.
Several Democrats have declared their candidacy for the nomination, including Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, Dan Kleban, Jordan Wood, Valli Geiger, David Costello, and Paige Loud.
The Republican incumbent is Susan Collins, seeking a sixth term.
The sexual assault allegation was first reported by Politico.
Platner faced prior controversies, including a tattoo with a Nazi association and deleted Reddit posts containing controversial comments.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for Platner to withdraw and said the national party would not invest in the race if he remained.
Not yet confirmed
Only one source reports that the Democratic-aligned groups WinSenate and Majority Forward shifted millions of dollars in Maine ad reservations days before the allegation became public.
Only one source reports that Platner’s pre-campaign vetting lasted three days and cost $6,000.
Only one source reports that the Maine Democratic Party accused Platner’s campaign of trying to manipulate the succession process.
It remains unclear how the nominating convention will be conducted and which candidate will ultimately be chosen.
Key figures
Graham Platner (former Democratic Senate nominee), Jenny Racicot (accuser), Susan Collins (incumbent Republican senator), Chuck Schumer (Senate Minority Leader), Janet Mills (Maine governor), Shenna Bellows (Maine secretary of state), Troy Jackson (former state Senate president), Nirav Shah (former Maine CDC director), Dan Kleban (Maine Beer Company cofounder), Jordan Wood (former House candidate), Valli Geiger (state representative), David Costello (former government official), Paige Loud (social worker), Patrick Dempsey (actor, not running), Ro Khanna (U.S. representative), Bernie Sanders (independent senator), Elizabeth Warren (U.S. senator)
Sources: CBS News, foxnews.com, NBC News
