politics
Maine Democrats Weigh Options for Senate Nominee After Platner Primary Win
State law gives the party a window to name a substitute if the nominee withdraws by July 13. Platner leads incumbent Susan Collins by nine points in the latest survey.
May 30, 10:39 PM·1m read1 source
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M. on July 13, according to state statute cited by the Washington Examiner. m.
On the fourth Monday in July to select the substitute nominee. Platner’s campaign confirmed that his wife told a Senate campaign aide last summer she was aware of sexual texts her husband had sent to several women. The disclosure came after earlier reports that Platner had posted vulgar social media comments and had a tattoo of a Nazi symbol.
Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts said Monday he finds the tattoo and Platner’s commentary about it personally disqualifying. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have endorsed Platner.
The most recent polling shows Platner ahead of incumbent Sen. Susan Collins by nine percentage points in a hypothetical general-election matchup. Collins has held the seat since 1977. Gov. Janet Mills withdrew from the Democratic primary in April, leaving Platner as the presumptive nominee.
Retired Army Special Forces officer Mike Nelson wrote in The Atlantic on Friday that he questioned why more Democrats had not called for Platner to step aside. Washington Examiner reported that Democrats view the Maine contest as part of their effort to regain control of Congress in the November midterms.
