These Democrats could replace Platner in Maine's Senate race

Josephine Walker

Candidates to replace Graham Platner — Clockwise, from left. Gov. Janet Mills, ex-state Senate President Troy Jackson, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, ex-Democratic aide Jordan Wood, Former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah and businessman Dan Kleban. Photos, all via Getty Images: Sofia Aldinio/Bloomberg, Gregory Rec/Portland Portland Press Herald, Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Portland Press Herald, Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg, Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald and Brianna Soukup/Portland Portland Press Herald.

Maine Democrats are scrambling to replace Senate candidate Graham Platner after he announced plans to withdraw from the race Wednesday night following a series of scandals.

Why it matters: The Maine Senate race is among the most important for Democrats this election cycle, as Sen. Susan Collins (R) holding her Maine seat would make it nearly impossible for Democrats to gain control of the Senate.

But the path to picking a replacement candidate is complicated: state law doesn't specify how the replacement is picked, only that a candidate must be selected by July 27.
Maine Democratic Party officials are considering multiple options, including a redo of the primary election or a mini-convention on the weekend of July 25, the New York Times reported.

Here's a brief overview of the candidates who could replace Platner:

Former state Senate President Troy Jackson

Former State Senate President Troy Jackson was the third-place finisher in Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary and is widely viewed as progressives' preferred candidate.

Jackson's blue-collar background and existing statewide campaign infrastructure could ease a transition to a Senate campaign.
He became the first Democrat to formally move toward replacing Platner, filing paperwork Tuesday to launch a U.S. Senate exploratory committee.

Gov. Janet Mills

Outgoing Gov. Janet Mills sought the Senate nomination before suspending her campaign as Platner surged in the polls.

She was handpicked by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to run.
Mills has not committed to reentering the race. She is 78 and has said she would serve only one term if elected.

Former Maine CDC Director Nirav Shah

Former gubernatorial candidate Nirav Shah is best known for leading Maine through the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023.

He later served as principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Biden.
Shah lost in the Democratic gubernatorial primary to the eventual Democratic candidate, Hannah Pingree.

Former Democratic aide Jordan Wood

Jordan Wood is a former congressional aide who worked in Washington and later served as executive director of a pro-democracy organization focused on election integrity.

He ran this year for retiring Rep. Jared Golden's (D-Maine) House seat and for the Senate, though he dropped out and did not appear on the Senate primary ballot.
He finished third in the House primary.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is coming off a failed gubernatorial bid, giving her an existing campaign organization, donor network and statewide name recognition.

She was previously the Democratic Senate nominee in 2014, losing to Collins by over 30 percentage points.

Dan Kleban

Dan Kleban is a political newcomer and the co-founder of Maine Beer Company.

He says he relates to voters because of his working-class roots, student loan debt and describes himself as a pragmatic, "get-shit-done Democrat."
It's unclear how Kleban would have fared with voters during the primary, as he suspended his campaign last year and endorsed Mills.

Go deeper: Schumer joins calls for Platner's withdrawal as Dem support collapses

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