Maine Democrats scramble to pick new Senate nominee after Platner withdraws amid rape allegation

The collapse of Platner's campaign

Graham Platner, the 41-year-old oyster farmer and political novice who won Maine's Democratic Senate primary last month, suspended his campaign on Wednesday after a woman accused him of rape. Jenny Racicot told CNN that Platner entered her home uninvited in 2021, drunk, and forced himself on her, ignoring her demands to stop. Platner released an 11-minute video denying the allegation and blaming the "political establishment" for making his campaign impossible to continue. He formally withdrew his nomination on Friday, July 10, less than four months before the November midterms.

By definition, yes, absolutely.

The accusation was the final blow in a campaign already dogged by controversies over his treatment of women, a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, and past online posts. His progressive allies, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Ro Khanna, withdrew their support. Sanders had previously said Platner had "gotten his life together" and that "there are no saints in the United States Senate."

Scramble to find a replacement

Under Maine law, the Democratic Party must select a new nominee by July 27. State party chair Charlie Dingman announced a nominating convention for July 25 in Bangor, where 601 delegates, 101 state committee members and 500 county-selected Democrats, will vote after candidates address the gathering. At least half a dozen contenders have declared their intent to run, including former state Senate president Troy Jackson, who ran for governor this year; former public health director Nirav Shah, who led first-place votes in that gubernatorial primary; Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, known for her attempt to keep President Trump off the 2024 primary ballot; and former congressional candidate Jordan Wood. Candidates must file a declaration of intent by Wednesday and collect 500 signatures, including at least 50 from eight counties, by July 21.

It's a fine line to walk. They need to endorse his ideas and his fury while rejecting his character.

Vetting failures and party recriminations

Platner had been recruited by out-of-state activists Daniel Moraff and Leanne Fan, who rented a house near his home in Sullivan to convince him to run. The Wall Street Journal reported that Moraff requested an expedited, cheaper background check that skipped a candidate interview or questionnaire. David Farmer, a Maine-based Democratic strategist, called the process "malpractice." Andrew Feldman, a national progressive strategist, said, "We were seeing rookie mistake after rookie mistake, and now we find ourselves in this situation." Jessica Mackler of Emily's List said the lesson is that parties must always vet candidates "through the lens of what it takes to win a general election."

Clearly the people who promoted Platner should have done a far better job vetting him—and being honest about his vulnerabilities both in private and in public.

Impact on Senate control

Maine is one of four Republican-held seats that Democrats see as winnable in their bid to flip the Senate, along with races in North Carolina, Ohio, and Alaska. The party needs to gain at least four seats to overcome the current 53-47 Republican majority. While some strategists view Platner's exit as a potential boon, removing a flawed candidate, the scramble introduces uncertainty into a state where incumbent Susan Collins has defeated well-funded challengers before.