Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday night following a sexual assault allegation that cost Platner many of his high-profile endorsements.
Read more Soccer-Mission Creep: FIFA’s Embrace of Technology Backfires in Controversy-Riven World Cup
The move leaves the field open to new candidates, but Democrats only have until July 27 to choose a new nominee.
Here’s what to know:
Democrats’ Last Straw
Platner was never popular with Democratic leadership in Washington. But when favored establishment candidate Gov. Janet Mills dropped out in April after low polling numbers, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee put its weight behind him.
That all changed Tuesday afternoon, when Politico reported a sexual assault allegation from a woman who had previously dated Platner. The DSCC and prominent politicians pulled their endorsements and called for him to drop out of the race. Though Platner suspended his campaign Wednesday, he continued to deny the allegation on social media, where he posted an emotional video suggesting it was fabricated to sabotage his candidacy.
“There is a reason that this is happening now. I only have until July 13 until I am officially the nominee,” Platner said in the video. “This was the last week to try to get me off of the ballot. That’s why this is occurring.”
State law allows Democrats to replace Platner on the ballot if he withdrew by July 13. They have until July 27 to choose a new candidate.
Potential Candidates
Maine law doesn’t have specific rules for how a replacement candidate is selected, but the Maine Democratic Party decided Wednesday to hold a nominating convention to identify a nominee.
Former state Senate President Troy Jackson appeared to gain the most immediate traction. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., offered his support. And Our Revolution, a progressive nonprofit founded by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, announced it was “rallying behind” Jackson.
Read more US House to Vote on Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
“We have days, not weeks, to make sure a real progressive is on this ballot. If we do not organize now, we risk watching the Democratic establishment hand Maine a corporate placeholder while the party that just got outvoted decides it knows better. We refuse to let that happen,” Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese said in a statement. “… Our Revolution is putting our full organizing machine behind Troy Jackson.”
Jackson filed paperwork Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission to fundraise for a potential bid.
Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, officially launched a campaign Thursday morning. Maine Beer Co. co-founder Dan Kleban also entered the mix.
Other potential contenders include Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who said she would “seriously consider” running, and former congressional staffer Jordan Wood.
A Make-or-Break Race
Maine’s Senate race has gained national attention as an integral part of Democrats’ strategy to regain control of the Senate. Incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins was elected to the seat in 1996 and is the most senior Republican woman in the upper chamber.
Democrats have challenged Collins in multiple previous cycles but have fallen short. She faces a unique disadvantage as a Republican senator in a traditionally blue state. Bellows was the Democratic nominee in 2014, but she lost to Collins by over 30 percentage points. But Platner’s withdrawal could spell trouble for Collins, Politico reported, as her reelection campaign had positioned itself to heavily exploit Platner’s baggage in the general election.
