The Maine Democratic Party announced on Wednesday plans to hold a nominating convention to select its candidate for U.S. Senate as former nominee Graham Platner’s decision to exit the race threatens to derail efforts to flip the seat blue. Platner ended his Senate campaign to oust Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) on Wednesday evening, just days before Democrats’ Monday deadline to replace his name on the ballot in the general election to challenge the incumbent Republican lawmaker. Platner’s move came after his campaign bled support due partly to allegations he raped an ex-girlfriend, claims that he denied, saying his exit was “because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power.”Shortly before Platner made his announcement public, over 100 members of the Maine Democratic Party voted to hold a nominating convention to select a replacement for Platner, saying it would provide more information on the convention in the coming days. Maine law stipulates that the party has until 5 p.m. on July 27 to name Platner’s successor.
The convention is not an unexpected strategy, but the scale of it could break records. It would include roughly 600 people who would be selected by county-level Democratic committees, according to Politico. That could be a historic convention, marking the first time Maine Democrats have used a convention of this scale to replace a statewide nominee. Every county committee would have to meet before the state nominating convention to elect 500 of those delegates, and the 100 current state committee members will also serve as delegates. Multiple Democrats have already thrown their names in the mix as potential candidates to replace Platner. They include former gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson, who performed best in a list of potential replacements, according to polling Platner’s campaign conducted Tuesday. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Nirav Shah, a public health official and the runner-up for governor, and Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger are among others eying a bid. Dan Kleban, the founder of Maine Beer Company who ran for the seat in the Democratic Senate primary earlier this year, said on Wednesday he will try again for the nomination. Geiger said Wednesday that Platner supported herself, Jackson, and Bellows as candidates to succeed him as the party’s standard-bearer.In a lengthy video announcing his campaign exit, Platner said the process to replace him needs to be “open, transparent, and democratic.”“This is incredibly difficult because I know that some will think it’s an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not,” he said. President Donald Trump weighed in on the debacle Wednesday evening, telling reporters on Air Force One that Platner is “in a bind.” The president suggested people should not be too hasty to believe the women who accused Platner of inappropriately aggressive behavior and rape, warning that “a lot of people say big falsehoods.”PROGRESSIVES RUSH TO FIND PLATNER ALTERNATIVE IN NEW DUST-UP WITH SCHUMER“It’s very hard for them to do,” Trump said when pressed on whether Democrats should be able to pick a replacement. “It’s a question of whether or not you believe the woman.”“A lot of people say big falsehoods,” the president said. “He’s in a bind, he’s in a bind, but should they be able to do it? Well, I guess he’s gonna lose. I would imagine he’s gonna lose.”
