WASHINGTON — Democrats may have as little as two weeks to interchange alleged sexual predator Graham Platner as their nominee for the Senate seat from Maine, assuming he agrees to drop out of the race.
Privately, Platner is trying to barter with social gathering bosses as he mulls his path ahead, demanding a alternative who shares his far-left ideology ought to he stop the marketing campaign, The Submit has realized.
Whereas Senate Democratic management has shunned aggressively intervening after supporting the failed main marketing campaign of Gov. Janet Mills, outstanding ex-Platner supporters are casting about for a brand new champion.
If Platner drops out earlier than 5 p.m. July 13, Maine Democrats may have precisely two weeks to select his alternative, although it’s not instantly clear what mechanism they are going to use to determine a brand new nominee.
Under, The Submit takes a have a look at a number of the contenders to problem GOP incumbent Susan Collins.
Listed here are a number of the high potential names floating round.
Troy Jackson
Jackson, a logger and the previous president of the Maine Senate, has filed paperwork exploring a Senate run after an unsuccessful bid for governor earlier this yr that was backed by Platner endorser Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Throughout his gubernatorial main marketing campaign, Jackson pledged to slash property taxes, cut back prescription drug prices, and set up a state Division of Inexpensive Housing.
A former Republican who switched to Impartial forward of his election to the state legislature in 2002 and have become a Democrat two years later, Jackson got here to political prominence throughout a 1998 logging blockade organized to protest native landowners favoring Candian contractors over locals.
Jackson campaigned with Platner final month, after allegations emerged of the Senate nominee sexting ladies whereas married and being bodily abusive.
Monday’s rape accusation in opposition to Platner prompted him to rescind that endorsement.
“There isn’t a place in our politics for sexual violence. Not in our social gathering, not in any social gathering. Graham Platner should withdraw from this race as we speak,” Jackson posted on X. “This isn’t what we stand for. Not as Democrats, not as Mainers, not as human beings.”
Shenna Bellows
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows completed fourth in final month’s gubernatorial main.
Bellows ran in opposition to Collins in 2014 and bought smoked by a whopping 37 share factors.
She later served 4 years within the Maine Senate, then as state secretary of state since 2021.
The 51-year-old made nationwide headlines in 2024 when she tried to take away Trump from from the state’s presidential main poll, a ruling that was overturned by the Supreme Courtroom that March.
Like Jackson, Bellows referred to as on Platner to drop out after the rape accusations emerged, calling the allegations “extraordinarily critical.”
Jordan Wooden
Jordan Wooden, who misplaced the Democratic main in Maine’s aggressive 2nd Congressional District, has expressed curiosity within the Senate nomination.
“If my fellow Maine Democrats determine by means of an open and democratic course of that I’m the most effective candidate to defeat Susan Collins, I might be humbled by their belief,” he mentioned in an announcement.
Wooden was the primary Democrat to enter the Senate main in April of final yr, however finally dropped out and switched to the Home race.
He has many progressive positions, together with assist for Medicare for All.
Nirav Shah
Former Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) Director Nirav Shah, who completed in second place within the Maine Democratic gubernatorial main, confirmed Tuesday that he’s desirous about leaping into a possible race to interchange Platner as effectively.
“Anybody operating for this nomination ought to conform to not less than one televised debate and maintain a number of public city halls throughout each nook of the state,” Shah mentioned in an announcement. “I’m dedicated to doing that, if I run. Defeating Collins means displaying up all over the place and talking with everybody.”
“I’m not an institution politician, and I’m not an insider. I’m a public servant who served our state in one in all its darkest occasions.”
Shah acquired essentially the most assist throughout the first spherical of ranked selection voting, he fell to Hannah Pingree as soon as the depend was concluded.
Maine’s Senate race is extensively seen as a must-win contest to ensure that Democrats to regain management of the higher chamber.
Collins has a historical past of outperforming polling by vital margins and overcoming Maine’s blue state tendencies.
