Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) shut down any rumors that he’s interested in running for Senate as Democratic front-runner Graham Platner faces yet another controversy.“I’m not going to be a candidate for the United States Senate in 2026,” Golden told the Washington Examiner. “I can assure you of that.”A New York Times article published Thursday detailed new allegations against Platner in which multiple women called his actions intimidating, disturbing, and sometimes aggressive. His campaign disputed many of the allegations.
Platner has also been plagued for the majority of his campaign by a controversial tattoo that he claimed he did not know resembled the Nazi Totenkopf symbol.
Platner, an oyster farmer in Maine, was not the party establishment’s preferred candidate, but a significant fundraising advantage and strong local support forced Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) out of the race, making Platner the presumptive nominee to take on Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) ahead of Tuesday’s primary.
Mills recently flirted with the idea she could resume her campaign, as her name will appear on Tuesday’s ballot, but she has so far not taken any meaningful steps to resurrect her Senate bid.
But even as Platner remains the clear front-runner, the Washington rumor mill has run rampant on who could replace Platner if he were to step aside. Among those floated has been Golden, a House Democrat retiring at the end of this term.
