Maine Democrats are looking for someone to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, and the candidate pool looks like a support group for people who just lost elections. As Conservative Brief reported, nearly every major Democrat jumping into the race already took an L earlier this year, making this less of a political contest and more of a second chance dance.
The whole mess started when Graham Platner, a combat veteran and oyster farmer who won the Democratic Senate primary in a landslide with Bernie Sanders' endorsement, withdrew from the race after a former girlfriend accused him of rape. Those allegations prompted Democratic leaders to call for him to step aside, and now the party has to pick a replacement. Delegates will gather on July 25 to choose a new nominee, and boy, do they have options. Specifically, options that voters already said no to.
The frontrunner appears to be Dr. Nirav Shah, formerly of the Maine CDC, who actually got the most first choice votes in last month's gubernatorial primary but lost the nomination to former House Speaker Hannah Pingree after ranked choice voting did its thing. Shah pivoted to the Senate race faster than you can say "ranked choice giveth and ranked choice taketh away." He told Platner's supporters: "You have a home in this campaign."
Former state Senate President Troy Jackson also wants in after finishing third in that same governor's race. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows placed fourth in the gubernatorial contest and is now trying her luck here. "Flipping the Senate in November is crucial," she wrote on social media, presumably while still processing that fourth place finish.
Former congressional aide Jordan Wood has had a particularly wild ride. He originally entered the Senate race, then switched to a House race when Rep. Jared Golden decided not to run again, lost that primary, and is now back pursuing the Senate seat. That is a political journey that would make a GPS recalculating voice give up entirely.
David Costello is making his second Senate run of the calendar year after pulling just 8% in June's primary. He also ran for Senate in 2024 and finished a distant third. Persistence is admirable. At some point, though, the universe is sending a message.
Dan Kleban, co-founder of Maine Beer Company, previously dropped out of the Senate race and endorsed Gov. Janet Mills. Now he is back in. "I fully support an open, transparent process to earn the trust of our delegates," Kleban said. Social worker Paige Loud is also running after losing a congressional primary, arguing the grassroots movement she built should continue. The lone candidate who did not recently lose something is Elizabeth Dickerson, a former state legislator who has been out of office for over a decade.
Meanwhile, Platner's former campaign volunteers have warned they will not automatically support whoever replaces him. So not only is the bench full of recent losers, the fans might not even show up. Susan Collins has to be watching this unfold with a bucket of popcorn.
Like what you see? Then sign up for our Free Newsletter
