13 Maine Democrats vie to replace Platner in Senate race
What's next: The party will pick a new nominee at its July 25 convention to take on Sen. Susan Collins in a race tied to Senate control.
Maine Democrats are scrambling to replace former Senate nominee Graham Platner, with 13 candidates filing to compete ahead of a July 25 state party convention. Eight contenders appeared at a Thursday night forum and several pointed to parts of Platner’s platform as they tried to win over Democratic voters after his withdrawal from the race. Jordan Wood, a former chief of staff to Rep. Katie Porter, said Platner had influenced his stance on Gaza. Troy Jackson, a former logger and ex-state lawmaker, highlighted Platner’s focus on health care and prescription drug costs. The eventual nominee will face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a midterm contest that could help decide whether Republicans keep their narrow Senate majority.