Graham Platner Suspends Campaign After Allegation
Graham Platner, an oyster farmer turned insurgent Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, suspended his campaign after a former girlfriend accused him of severely sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner denies the allegation as "categorically untrue." He will file paperwork to withdraw from the race.
Deadline for Replacement
Maine Democrats have until July 27 to select a replacement to face Republican incumbent Susan Collins, a five-term senator, in a race critical to Senate control. The state party announced on Wednesday that it will hold a nominating convention to pick a new candidate.
Challenges for the New Nominee
Platner won more primary votes than any Democratic Senate candidate in state history, energizing a coalition that establishment favorite Governor Janet Mills never matched. Some argue the successor must carry forward that energy; others say the nominee must be independent of Platner to avoid being seen as his protégé. The new candidate will have little time to prepare for the general election.
Contenders for the Nomination
Troy Jackson
A logger and former state senate president, Jackson ran for governor with Bernie Sanders' backing before losing the primary. Shortly after Platner's announcement, Jackson declared his candidacy, stating, "I'm in. And we're going to defeat Susan Collins." He has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to form a Senate exploratory committee. Congressman Ro Khanna, a leading Platner ally, publicly endorsed Jackson, describing him as "someone who has spent his life standing up for these progressive values."
Valli Geiger
State Representative Valli Geiger from Rockland, an early Platner supporter, said Platner asked her to run as his replacement. She told Maine's Total Coverage that Platner called and offered to back her, saying she had "been with this movement since the beginning." Geiger accepted his support, though Platner has not confirmed publicly, but she wants the state party to run an "open" and "robust" process rather than have a nominee handed down.
Nirav Shah
Former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shah became a familiar face during the Covid pandemic. He ran and lost in the gubernatorial primary. Shah said his team has "received hundreds of encouraging messages" urging him to run for the Senate seat and called for a "transparent and open" selection process, including at least one televised debate among contenders.
Shenna Bellows
Maine's secretary of state and another defeated gubernatorial candidate, Bellows lost to Collins in the 2014 Senate race by over 30 points. She said she would "seriously consider entering this race," arguing she was "uniquely fit to unite Mainers and defeat Susan Collins in just over 100 days."
Jordan Wood
A former congressional chief of staff, Wood originally challenged Platner for the Senate nomination before switching to run in the 2nd congressional district, where he lost. He wrote on social media that he was "continuing conversations with voters across Maine" about entering the Senate race if it opens up.
Paige Loud
A social worker who received about 10% of the vote in the 2nd district primary, Loud has already filed paperwork to run for the Senate seat. She said she was "prepared to carry forward the same pro-worker, anti-imperialist, anti-billionaire vision" from her congressional campaign. Her team said she was "being proactive in keeping options open for supporters across the state who have voiced a desire for a woman to be considered as the nominee."
Dan Kleban
Co-founder of Maine Beer Company, Kleban ran in the Senate primary before dropping out earlier this year. Announcing renewed interest, he cast the race as a referendum on Collins: "For too long, this race has been about everything but Susan Collins's repeated failures to do what's right for Maine," citing her votes to confirm judges who overturned federal abortion protections and her support for Donald Trump's economic agenda. Kleban said he had been "overwhelmed by the countless calls from Mainers" encouraging him to run, and called for "an open, transparent process" to choose the nominee over the next two weeks.
David Costello
A former Maryland state official who placed third in the June Senate primary, Costello wrote on Facebook that he was "back in" the race if Platner withdrew.
Conclusion
Maine Democrats face a tight deadline to choose a candidate who can unite the party and challenge Susan Collins in November. The selection process will be closely watched as a bellwether for progressive versus establishment influence in the party.
