(MAINE) — Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has said he is considering his options in the wake of a sexual assault allegation that he denies. But Democrats in Maine and nationally are calling on him to withdraw from the race against Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.
How his replacement could be chosen if he does withdraw and who might run in his place has become a firestorm among Democrats.
How could Maine Democrats select another candidate?
The Maine Democratic Party has called on Platner to leave the race. If he does by July 13 at 5 p.m. ET, the party has until July 27 to nominate a replacement. The state of Maine itself would not hold new primaries.
But the party has a lot of flexibility as to how it chooses any replacement. One source familiar with Maine politics told ABC News that the party’s state committee would vote on who would become the replacement candidate.
The state Democratic party has not responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
Another source who is working in Maine politics told ABC News that it’s possible the party could convene delegates to vote for a new candidate — similar to how the party used to nominate candidates at state party conventions. The source added that it is unclear if the event would be in-person or virtual, or how the delegate vote would be taken, such as by a majority vote or ranked-choice voting.
The prospect of the party selecting a candidate also raises the possibility of a backlash if Maine voters feel either that the candidate does not represent the ideals they voted for or that party insiders are choosing for them.
“My hope is that the process is transparent and fair,” Ryan Fecteau, speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, told ABC News on Tuesday.
Who might try to replace Platner?
There were two other candidates on the Senate primary ballot with Platner in the June 9 primary, although Maine Democrats are largely not promoting them as alternatives to Platner.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign before the primary, is largely not being floated as a viable replacement candidate. ABC News has reached out to Mills’ office.
Former Maryland state official David Costello placed third in the primary. In a brief post on Facebook on Tuesday, Costello confirmed that he’d try for the seat if he can: “I’m back in, if Graham Platner withdraws.”
Other major Maine Democrats who ran for other offices are indicating they might consider trying for the Senate seat.
Troy Jackson, a logger and former candidate in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary and a progressive, has been floated as a candidate who could appeal to Platner’s voters. He is a former state senator and was the Senate president from 2018 to 2024.
A source confirmed that Jackson has been receiving immense outreach about the possibility of replacing Platner and that he is interested. The source added that it makes sense for him to carry the “progressive torch,” and that Jackson is coming from a primary where he had an infrastructure in place and would be ready to jump in.
A campaign committee called the Troy Jackson Senate Exploratory Committee filed a statement of organization with the Federal Elections Commission on Tuesday. The Bangor Daily News was first to report about the filing.
Shenna Bellows is Maine’s first female Secretary of State and was also a candidate in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. A source close to Bellows told ABC News that she has gotten calls about possibly running for the Senate seat.
Nirav Shah, who confirmed he’s considering a bid, was in the running to be Maine’s governor and led in the polls prior to the Democratic runoff. Shah confirmed on his X account that he would consider a Senate bid and that he’s been receiving immense outreach to run if Platner withdraws. He told ABC News by phone on Tuesday that he has not declared his candidacy but has an infrastructure in place to run a campaign if he does enter the race.
Shah is an attorney and healthcare executive and oversaw the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another potential candidate, Dan Kleban, founder of the Maine Beer Company, was an early candidate in the Democratic Senate primary but ultimately suspended his campaign and endorsed Mills.
A source close to Kleban told ABC News on Tuesday that he has been getting calls and is being encouraged to run, and added Kleban also never endorsed Platner and kept his distance from him, meaning he would not appear tied to Platner.
In a similar boat: Jordan Wood, who was a losing candidate in the Democratic primary for Maine’s 2nd District after originally beginning a run for Senate. Wood wrote on X on Tuesday that he was open to a bid for Senate if Platner withdrew.
A potential wildcard candidate who has not confirmed if he would consider a bid is Rep. Jared Golden, a veteran who has represented Maine’s 2nd District since 2019. In November, Golden announced that he would not seek re-election, citing concerns over the safety of his family. ABC News has reached out to Golden’s office.
State Rep. Valli Geiger, a strong ally of Platner, told ABC News she is in conversations about being considered as a replacement, but hopes that the state party will hold an “open” and “robust” process.
Geiger, who hopes the candidate would embody a progressive agenda, added that she thinks it’s “hard to see a way forward” if Platner stays in the race and thinks he’s “struggling to figure out if there’s a path”
“I’m just so sad about how things have turned out, and there are no winners here. We have lost an incredible voice that I think had a real chance to beat Susan Collins, and one cannot outrun one’s past,” Geiger said.
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