Several Democrats are speculated to be options to replace Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner on the ballot if he ends his campaign, which many expect him to do following an ex-girlfriend\u2019s allegation of rape on Monday.
\nUnder Maine law, if Platner formally withdraws as the Democratic nominee by 5 p.m. on July 13, the Maine Democratic Party can replace him on the general election ballot by selecting a new nominee through its party process, with the replacement required to be chosen by July 27.
\nA handful of Democrats in the state are being discussed as viable options to challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
\nPlatner\u2019s campaign, the New York Post reported, is deliberating about potentially dropping out, but that any potential replacement would need to align with the same political platform as Platner.
\nGRAHAM PLATNER\u2019S CHANCES OF DROPPING OUT SKYROCKET TO 94% AFTER PARTY REVOLT: KALSHI<\/p>\n
Troy Jackson
\nFormer state Senate President and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson is a name circulating on social media as someone who could potentially jump into the race a month after his failed primary bid for governor.
\n\u201cThis is something I never considered, but if Graham\u2019s stepping away, I am very, very interested and think I\u2019m the best person to replace him,\u201d Jackson told the Bangor Daily News on Monday.
\nJackson, who, like Platner, is backed by Vermont independent Senator Bernie Sanders, came in third in the Democratic gubernatorial primary last month.
\nOn Tuesday, the Bangor Daily News reported that Jackson filed paperwork to explore a Senate run, the first potential candidate to do so.\u00a0
\nFOX NEWS POLL: MAINE SENATE RACE IS TIGHT, WITH CONCERNS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES<\/p>\n
Jared Golden
\nDemocratic Rep. Jared Golden, who represents Maine\u2019s right-leaning and mostly rural 2nd Congressional District since first winning election to the U.S. House in 2018, passed on launching a Senate run last year.
\nGolden, a Marine veteran who served in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, also decided against seeking re-election and is retiring from Congress when his term ends at the beginning of next year.
\nGolden, a moderate, has often been at odds with his party leadership over policy.
\nOn Tuesday evening, a Golden spokesperson distanced the congressman from speculation he would run for the seat.\u00a0
\nAngus King III
\nThe 56-year-old son of Sen. Angus King and 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate who finished at the bottom of the pack in the single digits in last month\u2019s primary is considering a bid for the Senate if Platner exits the race.
\nIn a statement to News Center Maine, King said: \u201cRight now, I\u2019m taking time to reflect, spend time with my family, and think carefully about how I can make the greatest contribution to the state I love. I\u2019ve never been motivated by holding office. If I decide to run again in any capacity, it will be because I believe I have something meaningful to offer and because it\u2019s the right way to help Maine move forward\u2014not because of the office itself.\u201d
\nJanet Mills
\nMills, the current Democratic governor of the state until her term expires in January, suspended her Senate campaign in April citing anemic fundraising after jumping into the race in October 2025 with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
\nThe 78-year-old governor remained on the ballot in the June primary and received 19.2% of the vote compared to Platner\u2019s 72.1%.
\nEXPLOSIVE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATION ROCKS PLATNER CAMPAIGN AHEAD OF KEY DEADLINE IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE<\/p>\n
Shenna Bellows
\nAttention is also focused on Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who was a leading contender in the gubernatorial primary.
\nBellows, the first woman to serve as Maine\u2019s secretary of state, grabbed national attention during the 2024 election cycle for attempting to remove President Donald Trump from the state\u2019s ballot.
\n\u201cWhile Graham ignited a powerful movement to challenge the status quo, given the seriousness of the allegations, he needs to step down,\u201d Bellows said of Platner in a social media post Monday.
\nSara Gideon
\nFormer Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon was the Democratic Senate nominee in the 2020 election.
\nPolls indicated Gideon leading longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins, but Gideon ended up losing to the incumbent by nine points.
\nPaige Loud
\nLoud, a social worker, finished fourth out of four candidates in the Democratic primary for Maine\u2019s 2nd\u00a0Congressional District earlier this year, finishing with 10% of the vote.\u00a0
\n\u201cPaige has filed as a Senate candidate for the 2026 midterm in light of the Platner situation,\u201d a spokesperson for Loud said on Tuesday. \u201cIn the event Platner drops out, Paige is being proactive in keeping options open for supporters across the state who have voiced a desire for a woman to be considered as the nominee.\u201d
\nNirav Shah
\nDr. Nirav Shah, who came second in Maine\u2019s Democratic gubernatorial primary, is also being looked at as a potential Platner replacement.
\nShah served as director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to early 2023 and steered the state\u2019s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He later served as principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) during former President Joe Biden\u2019s administration.
\n\u201cIn the past 24 hours, my team and I have received hundreds of encouraging messages, as Graham Platner signaled he will withdraw from Maine\u2019s U.S. Senate race,\u201d Shah said in a statement Tuesday.
\nHe added that he has been having conversations and evaluating \u201cwhether I should enter the Senate race.\u201d
\nShah, who is viewed as more moderate than Platner, emphasized, \u201cI\u2019m not an establishment politician, and I\u2019m not an insider.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jordan Wood
\nWood, who served as chief of staff to then-Rep. Katie Porter of California, last year launched a bid for the Senate in Maine. But as Platner\u2019s political star started to rise, Wood switched his bid to the U.S. House in the race in the state\u2019s 2nd Congressional District to succeed retiring Democratic Rep. Jared Golden.
\nWood, who vowed to take on the establishment and battle corruption, ended up finishing third in last month\u2019s Democratic primary.
\n\u201cI am continuing conversations with voters across Maine if I should enter an open Senate race,\u201d Wood wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. \u201cIf my fellow Maine Democrats decide through an open and democratic process that I am the best candidate to defeat Susan Collins, I would be humbled by your trust.\u201d
\nDavid Costello
\nFormer Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment David Costello was the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine in the 2024 election, coming in a distant third to incumbent independent Sen. Angus King.
\nCostello ran a second straight cycle, coming in a distant third to Platner in last month\u2019s Democratic Senate primary.
\nIn a social media post on Tuesday, Costello wrote, \u201cI\u2019m back in, if Graham Platner withdraws,\u201d and he touted that he believes he\u2019s \u201cthe best candidate to defeat Susan Collins.\u201d
\nDan Kleban
\nMaine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban is also considered a potential candidate. A source in Kleban\u2019s camp said the former candidate has been receiving calls and encouragement to run again.
\nState law does not require a new primary election or specify how the replacement must be chosen, leaving the process to the Maine Democratic Party\u2019s internal rules. Party leaders said in a Monday press release that they intend to use an open and inclusive process, though they have not yet announced exactly how a replacement would be selected.
\nLate Tuesday night, the Maine Democrats X account posted a video reacting to the situation.
\n\u201cAs you know, the Maine Democratic Party has been working around the [clock] and we are committed to ensuring that Democrats across [Maine] [have a voice in the process],\u201d Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said.
\n\u201cUnfortunately, Graham Platner\u2019s team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. [Senate]. \u00a0We have also reiterated [that the focus] in Maine can [now] focus on defeating Susan Collins this November as soon as Graham Platner formally withdraws from this race.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"