What to know about Graham Platner and the Maine US Senate race

SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) — Democrat Graham Platner has so far been mum on whether he’ll drop out of the Maine U.S. Senate race after a former girlfriend accused him of sexual assault.

Platner, who denies the allegation, has faced considerable pressure from his own party to quit the race. The first-time candidate also has been accused of trying to influence how his replacement is selected — a claim he also denies.

The question marks around Platner have left a crucial U.S. Senate race unsettled just months before the November midterm elections. The Maine Democratic Party, which by law is responsible for naming a replacement, has not said how it plans on going about selecting a possible successor. Meanwhile, potential contenders have already begun teasing their interest.

Here’s what we know about the Maine Senate race and what could be next:

The clock is ticking

According to Maine law, there’s a narrow provision for replacing general election candidates. Platner would need to ,step aside voluntarily by 5 p.m. July 13 before any other contender can be considered. So far, Platner has only committed to pausing his campaign.

Should he quit the race, the law then says the Maine Democratic Party has the authority to choose a replacement, which must be done by July 27.

However, what that process would actually look like remains unknown. It could come down to a vote by the state committee, a caucus, or even some sort of state political convention.

It’s incredibly rare for a general election candidate to bow out of a race, in Maine or elsewhere, meaning party officials are scrambling to complete a plan if and when Platner announces he’ll withdraw.

Platner campaign denies trying to influence the process

A key question surrounding whether and how Platner is replaced has come down to just how much leverage the oyster farmer and Marine veteran has in this situation.

On Tuesday, the Maine Democratic Party’s executive director, Devon Murphy-Anderson, released a statement accusing Platner’s campaign of repeatedly trying to “put their thumb on the scale” in determining the next Democratic nominee.

“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like,” she said.

Platner’s team responded with a statement saying “at no point has the campaign tried to ‘put its finger on the scale'” but instead is trying to understand the process. Thousands of Maine residents voted and volunteered for Platner, a progressive who outlasted establishment-backed Gov. Janet Mills, which the campaign believes should count in the decision.

List of possible replacements continues to grow

One possible contender, Nirav Shah, former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has said he was “evaluating” whether to join the race. Shah said he’s been in contact with the Maine Democratic Party about ensuring a possible replacement process is based on “openness, transparency and robustness.”

Another possible replacement is Troy Jackson, Maine’s former state Senate president, who unsuccessfully ran to be the Democratic nominee for governor earlier this year with the backing of Platner and Our Revolution, the political organization started by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Jackson filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday to launch a Senate exploratory committee.

Jordan Wood, a former U.S. Senate candidate who then switched to run for Maine’s 2nd District and lost, posted Tuesday that he was “continuing conversations” with voters about joining the race.

Other names circulating include Shenna Bellows, the current Maine secretary of state; Dan Kleban, founder of Maine Beer Co.; and Hannah Pingree, now Maine’s Democratic nominee for governor.

Voters say they are disillusioned

Platner’s campaigned galvanized hundreds of volunteers around the state. This week, they’ve been expressing disappointment about the behavior Platner is accused of and pondering the right course of action.

Many have called for him to drop out.

Paul Attardo, 64, of Scarborough, said he can’t continue supporting Platner after the allegation, though he still has a sign promoting the candidate at the end of his driveway. He called the accusation “disappointing” as well as “indisputably sincere,” and said the party needs to get to work finding a replacement.

The scenario reminded Attardo of the hasty replacement of Joe Biden during the 2024 election campaign.

“We rally behind somebody, and not unlike the Biden administration, when everybody rallied behind Joe Biden, at the eleventh hour that failed,” he said. “I sort of feel we’re in a similar boat.”

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Kruesi reported from Providence, R.I.