Maine Democrats are embarking on a two-week sprint to pick a new nominee for one of the year’s most important races in the wake of Graham Platner’s decision this week to suspend his Senate campaign after allegations of sexual assault, which he denies.
Shortly before Platner announced on Wednesday he’d be leaving the race, the party’s state committee voted to hold a nominating convention to choose a replacement before the 5 p.m. ET deadline on July 27.
But many details about the process – including when the convention will be held, who the delegates will be and how exactly candidates can access the ballot – have not been announced.
In a statement, party leaders said that “transparency is of the utmost importance,” and they would announce additional details “soon.”
The convention process could be similar to how national parties pick presidential candidates, when delegates elected from each state are ultimately responsible for choosing their nominees. But while in the modern presidential process delegates generally vote for a candidate based on the results of a popular vote, given the compressed timeline in Maine, it seems unlikely there will be a similar statewide opportunity for voters to express their preference.
