Maine's embattled US Senate nominee, Democrat Graham Platner, has been accused of trying to influence the process of picking his replacement amid a chorus of calls for him to withdraw from the race following a sexual assault allegation he denies.
Platner's Alleged Attempt to Sway Replacement Process
Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, stated on Tuesday evening that Platner's campaign would have "no role" in selecting his replacement, accusing his team of trying to sway the process. "Graham Platner's team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like," Murphy-Anderson said. "We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner's team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the US Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like."
Prominent Democrats Urge Withdrawal
A wave of prominent Democrats, including progressive Senator Bernie Sanders and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have urged Platner to stand aside. Platner has publicly stated he is "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" after the allegation, which he denies, was published on Monday. The Maine election is seen as a key component of the party's effort to regain control of the US Senate in November's midterm elections.
Potential Replacements Emerge
As support for Platner collapses, a growing list of Democrats have signaled interest in taking his place on the November ballot. Among them are several figures who ran in last month's gubernatorial primary: former deputy director of the Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention, Nirav Shah; Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; and former state senate president Troy Jackson. Another name circulating is Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer who briefly challenged Platner before switching to the primary in Maine's second congressional district.
Legal Deadline for Withdrawal
According to state law, Platner must end his campaign by 13 July at 5pm ET to allow Democrats a two-week window—until 5pm ET on 27 July—to pick a replacement. The Democratic nominee will face five-term Republican Susan Collins in November's general election.
State Senator Joe Baldacci, who also contested the primary for Maine's second congressional district, criticized Platner for attempting to influence the selection of his replacement. "Guess what, after you have put the Democratic Party in a shambles and undermined all Democratic candidates running for office in Maine, then you should have no say in who will be your successor," Baldacci wrote this week, adding that Platner would be carrying "a lead weight" into the general election.
The Platner campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
