PORTLAND, Maine — The race to fill a critical U.S. Senate seat in Maine shifted into high gear Thursday as Democrats began competing to replace progressive nominee Graham Platner, who announced he will exit the race following a sexual assault allegation that he denies.
Under Maine state law, the Democratic Party has until July 27 to name a replacement candidate. That person will have fewer than four months to mount a campaign against longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. Even before Platner formally announced his intention to withdraw, potential candidates had been signaling their interest — and by Thursday, several had made it official.
The Maine Democratic Party plans to hold a nominating convention to select the new candidate, a process that will involve hundreds of delegates from around the state. The specific details of how and when the convention will take place have not yet been announced.
Maine is viewed as a critical battleground in the fight for control of the closely divided U.S. Senate. With President Donald Trump facing widespread unpopularity, Democrats are eager to find a strong challenger to Collins.
Here is a look at those who have expressed interest in the race:
Maine’s former state Senate president, Jackson, ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination earlier this year with the support of Platner and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shortly after Platner’s withdrawal announcement, Jackson launched his Senate campaign, saying Mainers are looking for “a progressive fighter.” Our Revolution, the organization founded by Sanders, has announced it will support Jackson, who is 58 years old.
Shah, who previously served as director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, announced Thursday that he is seeking the Democratic Senate nomination. He finished second in this year’s Democratic governor’s primary and was widely viewed as a more moderate voice in that race compared to Jackson. “To the movement that supported Graham Platner, my message is this: you have a place in this campaign,” Shah, 49, said in a statement.
Kleban, co-founder of Maine Beer Company, confirmed his candidacy Wednesday following Platner’s announcement. He had briefly entered the Senate race the previous year before stepping aside when Gov. Janet Mills announced her own candidacy. Kleban, 49, had endorsed Mills, who later withdrew from the Democratic primary. “I’m ready to fight for Mainers and bring a new generation of leadership to Washington,” he said.
Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state, has not formally declared her candidacy but has indicated interest in the seat. She is no stranger to statewide races — the 51-year-old finished fourth in the state’s Democratic governor’s primary in June. Back in 2014, she ran against Collins as the Democratic Senate nominee and lost by a wide margin.
Wood, 36, initially tried to enter the Maine Democratic Senate primary last year but stepped out to run in the state’s 2nd Congressional District instead, where he came in third behind state Auditor Matt Dunlap. He has since expressed renewed interest in a Senate run and formally announced his candidacy Thursday. “To beat Susan Collins, we need a candidate who can provide a true contrast and run an unapologetically progressive campaign: Passing Medicare for All. Stopping ICE terrorizing our streets,” Wood wrote on social media Tuesday.
Loud, a 29-year-old social worker, filed paperwork earlier this week to enter the Senate race. She also ran in the 2nd District Democratic primary but was eliminated in the first round of the state’s ranked choice voting process.
Geiger, a state Democratic lawmaker and former Platner supporter, is also being mentioned as a potential candidate. She has not officially announced a run, but in a Wednesday interview with MS NOW, the 70-year-old said she would bring on Platner’s campaign staff, describing them as “deeply impassioned and confident young people.”
