Platner withdrawal throws Maine Senate race into Democratic scramble

Graham Platner's withdrawal from Maine's U.S. Senate race sent Democrats scrambling on Wednesday to find a replacement before a July 13 deadline. The seat held by Republican Susan Collins is one of the party's best chances to flip a GOP-held seat, and the outcome could help decide Senate control in November.

The political collapse followed a rape or sexual assault allegation from a former girlfriend, which Platner denied. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Maine Democratic Party leaders urged him to leave the race after the accusation surfaced, with the party saying it had a responsibility to hold every candidate to "the highest standard" and that "transparency is of the utmost importance" as it moved to replace him.

Maine Democratic Party officials met and voted to hold a nominating convention if Platner exited, with more than 100 state committee members backing the plan. Party leaders said they would announce the full timeline soon, while the replacement fight already had possible contenders in view, including Dan Kleban, Troy Jackson, Shenna Bellows and Nirav Shah. Under Maine election deadlines, Platner had to withdraw by 5 p.m. on July 13 for the party to keep the replacement option alive, and leaders would then have until July 27 to name a substitute nominee.

The calendar leaves little room for error. The Maine Secretary of State says write-in candidate filings for the Nov. 3 general election are due by 5 p.m. on Aug. 25, and Platner said support for his campaign had dried up as national fundraisers threatened to redirect money away. That combination of fundraising pressure, ballot deadlines and a vacancy in a race central to the battle for the Senate has turned Maine's contest into an immediate test of Democratic discipline.