The Bangor Daily News was the first to report this story. What you’re reading here would likely not be made public without the efforts of professional journalists asking questions, interviewing sources and obtaining documents.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Democrats are already jockeying for position in the uncertain race to replace Graham Platner, whose U.S. Senate campaign looks mortally wounded after an allegation of sexual assault published Monday by Politico.
Platner has until next Monday to decide whether to stay in, after Politico reported Monday that a Maine woman who used to date him accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner has denied the allegation but opened the door to leaving the race in a video, saying he is assessing his campaign.
Behind the scenes, leading Maine Democrats and their allies scrambled to position themselves for the nod. If Platner withdraws by the July 13 deadline, the state party would have until July 27 to name a replacement through a process that officials have not yet finalized. The Maine Democratic Party and national party groups disavowed Platner on Monday.
“This is a very, very serious allegation, but I haven’t talked to Graham,” said former state Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson in an interview Monday evening just before he called on Platner to drop out. “This is something I never considered, but if Graham’s stepping away, I am very, very interested and think I’m the best person to replace him.”
Jackson said he’d received dozens of calls and texts throughout the day. Former public health chief Nirav Shah and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who both lost last month’s Democratic primary for governor to Hannah Pingree, received numerous encouraging calls of support Monday as potential Platner replacements, according to people familiar with conversations among prominent Maine Democrats. All of them embraced Platner earlier this year but released statements saying he should drop out on Monday.
Shah, Bellows or Jackson may each enter any replacement scramble with an edge over a fresh entrant, since their campaign staffs from the governor’s race are recently assembled. Former House Speaker Sara Gideon, the 2020 nominee against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, has leftover campaign money but has kept a low profile since losing then.
All three were named in a poll of nearly 1,100 voters from Chicago-based Tavern Research that was shared widely Monday and tested favorability for more than a dozen Democrats floated as possible replacements.
Pingree posted the highest net favorability among potential replacements at 64% approval among Democrats, although she is locked into the governor’s race. Shah followed at 55% among Democrats. Jackson stood at 35%, though 52% said they were unsure of him or had never heard of him. Bellows was at 52% among Democrats.
Gideon was slightly underwater in her own party. Other figures, from actor Patrick Dempsey to Pingree’s mother, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of the 1st District, former Gov. John Baldacci and former U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud of the 2nd District, were floated in the survey.
BJ McCollister, a longtime adviser to Jackson who runs the anti-Collins Very Concerned PAC, said Platner’s continued presence in the race threatens an opportunity Democrats can’t afford to waste, saying he needs to quickly drop out.
“Ultimately, the Democratic Party has an opportunity to unseat Susan Collins because there is such a progressive change mood among Maine voters right now, and for him to stay in the race is squandering that opportunity for Democrats, but also progressive values,” he said.
McCollister argued Jackson is best positioned among the potential replacements, pointing to his history of winning in a St. John Valley district that favored President Donald Trump.
However, Jackson also lost a 2023 selectman’s race in his hometown of Allagash, the last time he was on a ballot before the June primary. McCollister also said the longtime lawmaker would need to “clearly step up” and call out Platner, whom he endorsed early in the primary season.
“He outperformed expectations in the primary election while being massively outspent, and he holds those progressive values that Mainers are so hungry for right now,” he said of Jackson.
Many Maine Democrats were not ready to talk Monday. State Rep. Valli Geiger, D-Rockland, a vocal Platner supporter, declined to weigh in when reached by the Bangor Daily News.
“I’m not prepared at the moment to talk about it, OK?” Geiger said. “I need to reflect.”
If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741.