{"id":3802,"date":"2026-07-09T17:40:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:40:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=3802"},"modified":"2026-07-09T17:40:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T17:40:25","slug":"democrats-point-fingers-scramble-to-replace-nightmare-ex-candidate-graham-platner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=3802","title":{"rendered":"Democrats point fingers, scramble to replace nightmare ex-candidate Graham Platner"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Alleged rapist Graham Platner\u2019s exit from the U.S. Senate race in Maine had Democrats scrambling Thursday to find a replacement candidate and repair the damage done to the party.<\/p>\n

Read more Markets shake off worries about renewed Mideast fighting, though gas prices rise again<\/a><\/p>\n

And the finger\u2011pointing was well underway about how Mr. Platner \u2014 long scrutinized for his Nazi tattoo and sexist comments on social media \u2014 made it so far without a more thorough vetting.<\/p>\n

Democrats chastised Mr. Platner\u2019s inner circle and top allies for ignoring clear warning signs that culminated in his ugly departure. It has dented the party\u2019s hopes of ousting Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins and flipping control of the U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n

Trying to pick up the pieces, the Maine Democratic Party plans to hold a nomination convention to select a Platner replacement before July 27. Party leaders were still sorting out the details as candidates began lining up.<\/p>\n

Nirvah Shah, fresh off finishing second in the Maine gubernatorial primary, became the latest Democrat to jump in, vowing to fight for Medicare for All, raise taxes on billionaires and corporations, rein in ICE and end President Trump\u2019s \u201creckless foreign wars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis race is not about one person or one seat. It is about everyday Mainers,\u201d he said in a video announcement. \u201cI\u2019ve shown up and fought for you before, and I am ready to do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n

SEE ALSO: Platner ends whirlwind Senate bid after rape allegation<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The scramble to find a Platner replacement comes roughly a month after he cruised to victory with more than 154,000 votes \u2014 about 72% of all ballots cast \u2014 in the Democratic primary. The second\u2011place finisher, Gov. Janet Mills, had pulled the plug on her campaign in late April after concluding voters wanted a fresh face and she had little hope of closing the gap on Mr. Platner.<\/p>\n

Mr. Platner had weathered earlier scandals, but everything collapsed this week after Jenny Racicot, a 41\u2011year\u2011old Maine resident, told Politico she dated Mr. Platner on and off for two years and said he showed up drunk at her home uninvited late one night in 2021 and forced her to have sex with him despite her repeated objections.<\/p>\n

Mr. Platner\u2019s left-wing coalition \u2014 including Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont \u2014 abandoned him, dooming his bid.<\/p>\n

Read more House lawmakers urge federal agencies to brace for AI election integrity threats<\/a><\/p>\n

Mr. Platner denied the rape allegation before dropping out of the race in defiant fashion, blaming the Washington establishment for his downfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe brutal political reality is that they are going to take everything away from us,\u201d Mr. Platner said in the video announcing he was suspending his campaign. \u201cWe are going to lose our ability to fundraise. We are going to lose our ability to access voter data [and] all the things that any campaign needs on the basic level to function.\u201d<\/p>\n

It has unleashed a scramble to replace him.<\/p>\n

In addition to Mr. Shah, who led the state\u2019s coronavirus response, former state Senate President Troy Jackson \u2014 a fifth\u2011generation logger and another failed gubernatorial candidate \u2014 announced he was running.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the sake of the progressive movement that was behind him and the millions of people across America who put their trust in that movement, that was the only acceptable thing to do,\u201d Mr. Jackson said in a fundraising email. \u201cNow, we have to focus on what comes next. Defeating Susan Collins in November is non-negotiable \u2014 and I\u2019m all in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Jackson has long been a far\u2011left favorite and has already secured the support of Rep. Ro Khanna, the California Democrat who previously endorsed Mr. Platner and campaigned with him shortly before the latest allegation surfaced.<\/p>\n

Jordan Wood is also entering the race after recently losing the 2nd Congressional District primary. Dan Kleban, a co\u2011founder of the Maine Beer Company, threw his hat in as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s time for a new generation of leadership in Washington, one that\u2019s not beholden to the establishment that has failed us time and again,\u201d Mr. Kleban said Wednesday in a statement.<\/p>\n

Read more Justin Baldoni, wife break silence on legal fight with Blake Lively<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alleged rapist Graham Platner’s exit from the U.S. Senate race in Maine had Democrats scrambling Thursday to find a replacement candidate and repair the damage done to the party.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,7],"tags":[424,202,204,576],"class_list":["post-3802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-politics","tag-democratic-party","tag-graham-platner","tag-maine","tag-susan-collins"],"yoast_head":"\nDemocrats point fingers, scramble to replace nightmare ex-candidate Graham Platner - Home Buyer Relocation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/homebuyerrelocation.com\/?p=3802\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Democrats point fingers, scramble to replace nightmare ex-candidate Graham Platner - 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