Maine Democratic Party Says Platner Will Have 'No Role' in Next Nominee

[Jose Garcia]

Source: New York Times

A top official with the Maine Democratic Party said on Tuesday night that Graham Platner’s team had been trying to “put their thumb on the scale” in the party’s planning for his replacement as the Democratic nominee for Senate, but that he would have “no role” in the selection process.

“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our U.S. Senate nominee, nor in determining what this process looks like,” Devon Murphy-Anderson, the party’s executive director, said in a video posted on social media.

The short video represented a behind-the-scenes look at an extraordinary breach between the Democratic nominee for Senate and the party, which was among the many groups to call for Mr. Platner to step aside on Monday after he was accused of rape by a woman he had dated.

Mr. Platner said on Monday that he would “reflect on the best path forward,” but he told his campaign team in a private call that he hoped to use his leverage as the existing nominee to influence who replaced him. Mr. Platner is currently set to face Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, in a race seen as central to the battle for the Senate majority.

Read more: Maine Democratic Party Says Platner Will Have ‘No Role’ in Next Nominee

[mahina]

1. What an over-inflated ego, this guy.

Eesh!

[littlemissmartypants]

40. Too big for his britches was my first thought. ❤️

[manicdem]

2. Nothing to lose

He aint running for office again, he could do whatever he wants and screw everyone.

[0rganism]

3. then the Maine Democratic Party had better be thinking about what to do if Platner doesn't drop out by Monday

As the current nominee, he does have some leverage, though it's not clear how much he has or how much he's willing to use. It's also unclear how much the Maine Democratic Party should flex to accommodate said leverage. Expelling him by top-down decree will be electorally ugly and I don't know if it's even legally possible. Best option by far is that he resign post-haste and leave politics completely until he gets his shit sorted, but that seems unlikely.

Result of the worse-case scenarios hasn't changed (i.e., Collins wins again).

[LisaL]

4. I don't think rules allow for him to be expelled.

He has to step down on his own by July 13. If he doesn't step down by then, he stays on the ballot.

[0rganism]

24. then the Maine Democratic Party is completely incorrect about Platner having no say

In fact, he has 100% of the say by default, and the Maine Democratic Party needs to negotiate with that in mind. Hopefully this statement from them is just some strategic PR bluster so they can feign distance, and they already know better than they let on. If Platner isn't out by the 13th, we're already into the realm of worse-case scenarios and Sen. Collins will win again.

[somsai]

5. It's a real good time to do things without announcing to the world

and making nice with all involved.

I mostly read on Twitter and I'm not on enough to know people's politics, but I gather there are Democrats angry at other Democrats, and then there are Republicans looking to just say anything bad about a Democrat. Often hard to tell what the motivations are.

[Cha]

29. They can be Mad at Sen Sanders, too.. he asked

the Bully-alleged rapist to "Step aside"

[Cha]

32. Oh, Planters volunteers are anxious to

move on from him..

Platner Volunteers Want to Move Forward with a New Candidate

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100221358734

[thesquanderer]

6. Can party leadership actually remove him from the ballot if he does not agree to step down?

If not, then he does have some bargaining power here.

[LisaL]

8. I don't think so.

From what I understand, he can step down by July 13. If he doesn't he stays on the ballot.

[paleotn]

17. Very doubtful after a primary win.

Party leadership cannot in good faith rewrite election results. If he is to go he needs to do so gracefully. Lets see if he really wants Collins out. Going to be a tough lift for the next nominee even if he does leave without fireworks.

[JustAnotherGen]

7. His team

Would deliberately pick the worst candidate. That *Consultant Firm* that is his team needs to pivot to damage control for themselves.

[Keepthesoulalive]

16. They knew what he was and they didn't care

Something about a gravy train to wealth and power. It has come back to bite them hard. It is sad to think many Democrats will overlook a shit stain that has never held office because he says he is progressive. Reminds me of another party who is communicating with the dead for 20 minutes.

[-misanthroptimist]

9. Then, imo, he will stay in the race...

...and force us to either support his campaign or lose the Senate.

Face it. He holds the winning hand from his perspective.

[LisaL]

11. He can stay on, but I fail to see how he can force anybody to support his campaign.

The Senate seat loss for Maine would be pretty much a guarantee as far as I am concerned, if he stays.

[-misanthroptimist]

18. Think back to 2016

Think of all the reasons we had to assume that [Redacted] would lose. The "Grab 'em..." comment alone should have sunk him, no?

But that's not what happened. 46% of indies voted for [Redacted] in 2016 (HRC got only 42%). The same percentage of indies voted for him again in 2024, well after he was adjudicated guilty of SA.

Summing up: About half of indies don't care about these kind of charges, apparently. Why? Couldn't say. But looking at the numbers it's hard to draw another conclusion.

So, there's at least some statistical evidence to support the idea that Platner can win the Senate seat in ME despite the allegation. That leaves Democrats in the position of either supporting his campaign or conceding the Senate to Republicans without a fight.

[-misanthroptimist]

23. I don't know what you base that on

Recent history indicates that a majority of voters don't care about this kind of issue. (See: [Redacted] 2016 and 2024)

My only guess is that over half of independents ignore these sort of issues due to being more concerned about economic issues or just changing the status quo.

[RandySF]

12. He's dead to me.

I'm sick and tired of all the gaslighting from him, his campaign and his supporters.

[LisaL]

13. Yes, his supporters walked right into this one.

It's not like there were no red flags all around.

[-misanthroptimist]

21. Enjoy your Republican Senate

[sheshe2]

28. 'Your" Republican Senate?

[MorbidButterflyTat]

34. More gaslighting

With a side of extortion.

[sheshe2]

37. Yes, on both counts.

[paleotn]

19. This is a measure of his character.

If his campaign is in fact unrecoverable, and he actually does want Collins out, he needs to step up, be a man, and bow out gracefully.

[-misanthroptimist]

22. Again, I agree

[RandySF]

27. His character is entitled.

[RandySF]

10. "Accused rapists chooses (fill in the blank)."

What Democrat wants to run with that distiction?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

14. This statement made me smile

Link to tweet

[WSHazel]

15. +1,000

Thank you for sharing.

[Cha]

35. TY for posting the Vid with

Devon Murphy-Anderson, Maine Dem Party Chair! She's tough!!

LMPV

Link to tweet

[MorbidButterflyTat]

36. Agree!

I'm very impressed with her!

[Cha]

39. Yeah, she's mad and direct. no sugar-

coating for Ms Devon Murphy-Anderson!

She wants to beat Collins.

Planter and the team want to bully their way into losing the Senate seat in Maine.

I bet Planter was shocked when he learned Jenny Racicot kept documentation of his alleged rape. Maybe thinking it would be a case of "he said/she said?

[usonian]

20. With our outstanding 0 for 2 record, we don't need any advice.

I ran across this pattern all my career:

I'd rather be RIGHT than SUCCESSFUL.


Famous last words.

[LudwigPastorius]

33. Advice from a guy (and his pals) who was too dumb to realize that raping his girlfriend wasn't...

going to come out in a U.S. Senate race?

[usonian]

38. His political stand is excellent, and deserves consideration, even if hs is (allegedly) Jack the Ripper.

Now, his ideology has been on target, and whether one is a saint or sinner, that matters.,

Why? because fighting oligarchy is winning. It is an overwhelmingly resonant issue when explained simply.

There's a fundamental attribution error that plagues people.

And it's used very effectively to smear imperfect people to discredit their ideas, when they are really separate.

I have given the usual examples.

IDEAS ARE SEPARATE FROM PEOPLE WHO ESPOUSE THEM.

I'd want THAT kind of advice, but Carnac here sees the outcome.

"Centrists" will be pushed into the limelight and lose.

[Jacson6]

25. Hate me if you want. We can write off the Maine Senator race.

IMHO. G'sus H. Christ.

[pat_k]

26. He'll have no role because it will be caucuses or a "pop-up" convention the weekend of 7/25

Seems to me he was attempting to influence the party committee when it had already been decided that the committee would not make the pick.

As per NYTimes (posted by RandyF here), plans are statewide caucuses or a "pop-up" convention 7/25 weekend (assuming he withdraws)

Maine Dems will get a new candidate. And they will not be selected by the party committee. (I found it notable that Mills was not included in the list of possible replacements. A very good thing IMO. I just don't see her inspiring many of those Platner inspired.)

And once they have their new nominee, the people of Maine, and supporters from afar, will make it a winning campaign.

Top Maine Democratic Party officials have discussed possible plans to replace Mr. Platner on the ballot, with options including a pop-up convention on the weekend of July 25 to choose a nominee, or holding a statewide caucus to effectively redo the party’s primary election, according to two people who have talked with the officials and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal party conversations.

Officials have ruled out having the state party’s committee, which includes about 100 members, choose the nominee, the people said......

Should Mr. Platner withdraw by next Monday, the leading candidates to replace him could potentially include the Democrats who ran for governor and did not win the primary.

They include Ms. (Shenna) Bellows, Troy Jackson, a former president of the Maine Senate, and Nirav Shah, a former director of Maine’s public health agency. Jordan Wood, who lost a primary for a House district covering northern Maine, is also a potential candidate.

And here's a gift link to the article
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/us/politics/who-would-replace-graham-platner-maine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.v1A.iM4y.eQFzT3W_7ioS&smid=url-share

[FakeNoose]

30. Platner has been "86'ed"

[tazcat]

41. Always thought this guy was an opportunist ringer. Oh, and a nazi.