Maine Democrats race to replace Senate nominee before July 27 deadline

Maine Democrats moved to build an emergency convention process on Tuesday after Graham Platner withdrew from the Senate race, giving the party until July 27 to certify a replacement nominee against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. The decision puts the Maine Democratic Party, not Washington, in charge of choosing the next candidate for one of the party’s best chances to flip a Senate seat.

Under Maine election law, a political committee may make a replacement nomination for the general election if the original nominee withdraws on or before 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July, and the replacement must be certified no later than 5 p.m. on the fourth Monday in July. Because Platner exited after the primary, Democrats will use that replacement route rather than hold a new primary.

The Maine Democratic Party said more than 100 state committee members met in an emergency session on July 8 and voted to hold a nominating convention if there is a vacancy. Party leaders said they would soon announce the full timeline, participation rules and candidate requirements. They described the process as unprecedented for replacing a statewide nominee and said they want it to be transparent.

The planned convention is expected to include roughly 600 delegates, with 500 chosen proportionally by county Democratic committees and 100 state committee members also serving as delegates. Party officials said prospective replacement candidates will need to campaign publicly to qualify, likely including collecting voter signatures, a structure designed to keep the choice inside Maine Democratic hands rather than in the control of national party leaders in Washington.

Platner’s withdrawal came after intense pressure from his party and after a sexual assault allegation he denied. His campaign also fought with party leaders over whether it was trying to influence the replacement process. With his exit, several Democrats have already begun lining up for the opening.

Dan Kleban, the founder of Maine Beer Company in Freeport, relaunched his campaign on July 8 and said the compressed nominating process was not a perfect substitute for a full primary. He said he would not take Platner’s endorsement. Other Democrats discussed as possible contenders include Troy Jackson, Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah.

National Democratic groups have signaled that Platner’s departure will not ease up the race. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Senate Majority PAC said Collins remains vulnerable and that they will continue supporting the eventual Democratic nominee. DSCC executive director Devan Barber pointed to Collins’ vote with Trump 96% of the time and her role in confirming the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, arguments Democrats plan to keep at the center of a campaign that now has to be rebuilt on a shortened clock.