PORTLAND, Maine (AP) 鈥� Democratic nominee Graham Platner hasn’t resigned from the Maine U.S. Senate race following an allegation of sexual assault. But the succession battle to take his place was already underway Tuesday.
The allegation reported Monday prompted a chorus of calls for Platner to depart the high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, which could . Platner’s long-time backer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, 鈥渞ecommended that he step aside.鈥� Then, Tuesday evening, reported that an ex-girlfriend of Platner鈥檚 had accused him of removing condoms during sex without her consent.
Platner, who has denied all the allegations, has been mum on whether he’ll step aside. And the Maine Democratic Party, charged with creating a process to pick his replacement, hasn’t publicly announced their plans.
On Tuesday night, Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson released a video saying the party is developing an 鈥渙pen, inclusive, transparent and fair鈥� process but won’t disclose details until Platner withdraws. Platner鈥檚 team has repeatedly tried to 鈥減ut their thumb on the scale,” she said.
鈥淲e have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner鈥檚 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,鈥� she said.
An official for the Platner campaign responded that it 鈥渉as reached out to the party to try and understand what this process would look like鈥� and 鈥渁t no point has the campaign tried to 鈥榩ut its finger on the scale.鈥欌�� The official added that thousands of Maine residents voted and volunteered for Platner and they should play a role in the decision.
鈥淲hile Graham wouldn鈥檛 want to be a part of the process, he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision 鈥� not the political establishment,鈥� the statement said.
So far, the succession battle has played out in a murky power vacuum. A growing number of candidates are teasing their entry into the race as a fight shapes up between the progressive wing and the establishment camp of the Democratic Party.
Platner became a populist hero among the party鈥檚 left flank, pulling far ahead of an establishment-backed candidate, Gov. Janet Mills, in the primary. Now, progressive groups fear that political ground could be lost.
鈥淭o the Democratic establishment: This is not your opening,鈥� said Joseph Geevarghese, who leads Our Revolution. The organization founded by Sanders backed and then withdrew its endorsement of Platner after the sexual assault allegation. The group said Tuesday that it was 鈥渞allying behind鈥� another progressive contender, Troy Jackson, who announced he’s 鈥渆xploring鈥� a candidacy.
The sexual assault allegation against Platner
In the allegation published Monday by Politico, a woman whom Platner previously dated said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop. It is the latest in a the first-time candidate had weathered, but the seriousness of the assault claim was too far for many of his supporters in the Democratic Party.
Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner, but she cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident wasn鈥檛 consensual. She said in a CNN interview on Monday evening that she opted not to fight back for fear of Platner, a former Marine, becoming more violent.
Replacing Platner may further divide Democrats
The pressure for Platner to withdraw from the Senate race has only increased given the short deadlines Maine law allows for replacing general election candidates. There is no mechanism for Democrats to remove Platner from the ballot, and the deadline to withdraw is 5 p.m. July 13. State law gives the authority to choose a replacement to the state party. Any replacement candidate must be named by July 27.
The lack of communication from Platner and the state’s Democratic Party has contributed to some confusion about what comes next as candidates tentatively toss their hats in the ring.
Some are arguing that the next Democrat should echo Platner鈥檚 progressive messaging, pointing to his success at rallying voters across the state. Others cautioned that having ties to Platner will only doom an already uphill campaign against Collins. Many are pushing for an open process even with limited time.
鈥淣o one鈥檚 enjoying this experience, and it seems like the consensus step forward should be having a fair and open process that everybody feels is legitimate,鈥� said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee that backed Platner but now calls for him to suspend his campaign.
One possible contender, Nirav Shah, the former director of Maine鈥檚 Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Tuesday he was 鈥渆valuating鈥� whether to join the race. Shah said he鈥檚 been in contact with the Maine Democratic Party about ensuring a possible replacement process is based on 鈥渙penness, transparency and robustness.”
鈥淓very single day that we don鈥檛 have a nominee, and a process and a clear pathway for the nominee, is another day that we鈥檙e letting Sen. Collins continue to get her message out,鈥� Shah told The Associated Press. “As of right now, it鈥檚 not clear what the process will be.鈥�
Shah, who came in second in this year鈥檚 Maine Democratic gubernatorial primary, added, 鈥淚 want to give the party grace, because we鈥檙e building this plane as we鈥檙e flying it.鈥�
Maine’s governor, Mills, who sought the Democratic Senate nomination but dropped out before , could be considered as another contender. Mills was supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer but abandoned her campaign, saying she couldn’t raise the money needed to compete.
Another possible replacement is Jackson, Maine鈥檚 former state Senate President, who unsuccessfully ran to be the Democratic gubernatorial nominee earlier this year with the backing of Platner and Sanders. Jackson filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday to launch a Senate exploratory committee.
鈥淩emember: Progressives overwhelmingly won the primary. A progressive MUST be on the ballot,鈥� Our Revolution said in a fundraising email, which described Jackson as a logger and union leader who helmed Sanders’ past presidential efforts in Maine.
Jordan Wood, a former U.S. Senate candidate who then switched to unsuccessfully run for Maine’s 2nd District, posted Tuesday that he was 鈥渃ontinuing conversations鈥� 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, currently Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
Bellows said in a statement she will 鈥渟eriously consider entering this race.鈥�
A Platner voter is 鈥榟eartbroken鈥�
Joanie Monteith, a passionate supporter from the southern Maine town of York who organized in March, said through tears Tuesday that she was devastated by the news. She was waiting for another public statement from Platner before making a decision about whether she could keep supporting him.
鈥淚鈥檓 numb, and I鈥檓 waiting for what Graham has to say,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying not to be a part of this public trial. And I鈥檓 heartbroken. And I鈥檓 heartbroken for him and his wife.鈥�
She added that she believes the allegations are serious.
鈥淚鈥檓 not going to blame a victim. Because if this is true I feel very bad for the woman,鈥� she said.
Another Maine voter, Lee Holman, said she wants Platner to stay in the race.
鈥淚 feel like the people of Maine have spoken,鈥� the Democrat said. 鈥淚f they wanted Janet Mills, they could have voted for her.鈥�
She said the allegation against Platner may be legitimate, but she questions the timing. Democrats, she added, can be too quick to 鈥渢hrow the baby out with the bathwater鈥� by calling on politicians facing allegations to resign.
鈥淓very time we think we have a chance to snatch our democracy back, something gets in the way,鈥� she said.
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Kruesi reported from Providence, R.I. and Bedayn from Austin, Texas. Matt Brown in Minneapolis and Ali Swenson in New York City contributed.
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