Photo credit: Graham Platner for U.S. Senate
By BallotWire
07/08/2026
The Wire: Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner ended his campaign against Republican Sen. Susan Collins this week, suspending operations Wednesday and formally filing his withdrawal Friday, and leaving Maine Democrats scrambling for a replacement less than four months before Election Day.
Why it counts: Maine is one of the party's best pickup chances and the only blue-leaning state with a Republican senator on the ballot. With Democrats needing a net gain of four seats to take the Senate, losing their candidate here at this stage throws a marquee race into chaos.
The fine print: The collapse was swift. After a woman he previously dated accused him of sexual assault in 2021, an allegation Platner denies, his support hemorrhaged within days. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders advised him to step aside, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna rescinded his endorsement and called the accusation "a red line."
On the record: "We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me," Platner said in an 11-minute video posted to X.
The counter: Platner framed his exit as a fight with his own party, not a response to the allegation. He blamed the "political establishment" for stripping away his ability to fundraise and access voter data, and insisted the accusation was false and not the reason he was stepping down.
The backdrop: Platner had won the June 9 primary all but uncontested after Gov. Janet Mills quit the race in late April. His insurgent bid had already survived a string of controversies, including old Reddit posts, a Marine-era tattoo widely read as a Nazi symbol that he says he had covered, and a report that he sent sexually explicit texts to other women while married.
Looking ahead: The state Democratic Party will hold a nominating convention, with candidates required to declare by 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, and a new nominee due by the July 27 deadline. Names in the mix include former Maine CDC director Nirav Shah, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, and former state Sen. Troy Jackson, all of whom ran in this year's gubernatorial primary, plus brewery owner Dan Kleban. Whoever emerges gets a compressed sprint against Collins, who is seeking a sixth term, in a race that could decide Senate control.