Maine Democrats Plan Convention to Pick New Senate Nominee After Platner's Exit

The Maine Democratic Party is preparing to hold an in-person nominating convention of roughly 600 people to select a replacement candidate for the U.S. Senate race, following Graham Platner's decision to end his campaign amid a sexual assault scandal.

Party Chair Charlie Dingman, Vice Chair Imke Schessler and Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson confirmed the plans in a written statement after more than 100 state committee members met Wednesday afternoon and voted to authorize a nominating convention should a vacancy arise. Hours later, Platner formally announced he was withdrawing from the race.

"There is an unprecedented amount of energy and enthusiasm among Maine Democrats, driven in part by many of the dedicated volunteers and supporters who were inspired by Graham Platner's campaign," the three leaders said in their statement. "We look forward to coming together and harnessing that energy around our new nominee as we work to defeat Susan Collins in November."

A person familiar with the planning, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details publicly, said the convention is still being organized. Specifics on the date, location and candidate filing requirements have not yet been released.

How the Replacement Will Be Chosen

Maine law allows a party to name a replacement Senate candidate when a primary nominee withdraws on or before 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July. This year, that deadline falls on July 13. Platner's exit clears the way for Democrats to tap a new standard-bearer. The party has until July 27, the fourth Monday of the month, to fill the vacancy, according to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State.

Under the state Democratic Party's charter, the replacement process involves a nominating meeting assembled by someone appointed by the party chair. The charter is light on specifics, calling only for the gathering to follow state law and party rules.

In a message to committee members earlier in the week, Murphy-Anderson said the party is "committed to an open and transparent process" and has been working with an attorney to determine the best path forward. "The process will be determined under consideration of what passes legal review, and what ensures a breadth of participation from Maine Democrats," she wrote.

Tensions between the party and Platner's campaign have been visible in recent days. Party officials accused the Platner team of trying to "put their thumb on the scale" of the replacement process and said the candidate's team would not play a role in choosing the next nominee. Platner's campaign pushed back, denying any effort to influence the selection and accusing the party of being poised to exclude his supporters.

The Growing List of Interested Candidates

With the seat now open, several Democrats who ran in high-profile June primaries have signaled interest in being considered.

Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, who like Platner had the backing of progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is among those exploring a bid. Also expressing interest are Nirav Shah, the state's former director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Shenna Bellows, Maine's secretary of state. All three ran in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Shah led the field in first-round votes before losing a ranked-choice runoff to Hannah Pingree. Jackson finished third and Bellows fourth in the five-way race.

Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer who placed third in the Democratic primary for Maine's 2nd Congressional District, said he would be "humbled" if the party chose him.

Other hopefuls include David Costello, a Brunswick Democrat who finished third in June's Senate primary behind Platner and Gov. Janet Mills; Dan Kleban, a co-founder of Maine Beer Co. who briefly entered the Senate race last fall before withdrawing to support Mills; and Paige Loud, a social worker and former 2nd District House candidate.

Two prominent names floated in recent days have already been ruled out. U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, who is set to leave his 2nd District seat next year after four terms, said through a spokesman he has no desire to seek the Democratic Senate nomination. Actor and Lewiston-area native Patrick Dempsey made his own position clear Wednesday in an op-ed, writing that he is not interested in running.

With the July 27 deadline approaching and the field still taking shape, Maine Democrats face the unusual task of relaunching a Senate campaign just months before Election Day — one they had hoped was already settled.