Democrats are feeling quite anxious after Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner declared the suspension of his campaign.
Platner shared his decision in a video on his X account on Wednesday, mere days after 41-year-old Jenny Racicot accused him of forcing her into sexual acts back in 2021.
Currently, several individuals with connections to Maine and the Democratic Party are actively participating in the race or are seen as likely candidates for the Democratic nomination.
Troy Jackson, the former President of the Maine Senate and a fifth-generation logger, is explicitly considering a run to replace Platner. He was previously endorsed by independent Senator Bernie Sanders during Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Jackson has submitted documents to the Federal Election Commission to form a Senate exploratory committee. He claims to be the “best person” to take over for Platner, according to reports from the Bangor Daily News.
There is a strong movement of working-class people in Maine, and millions of people across the country ready to send progressive fighters to the Senate. I have fought for that movement all my life. And I am confident that this fight will not retreat now… pic.twitter.com/lx1dkSVIS0
— Troy Jackson (@TroyJackson207) July 9, 2026
Jackson mentioned, almost hesitantly, “This isn’t something I ever considered before, but if Graham steps down, I would indeed be very interested, and I think I could be the right fit.” This came just before he urged Platner to exit the race.
During his gubernatorial campaign, Jackson had proposed free universal childcare and suggested creating a commission to tackle rising property taxes for households making less than 125% of the state’s median income.
However, he faced backlash for his past comments during the gubernatorial primaries concerning abortion, which Republicans could potentially use against him in the Senate race.
Jackson expressed, “They’re flooding media with misleading information about my abortion stance, even though I’ve been a staunch advocate for abortion rights for a decade.” He pointed out that a bill expanding access to medical treatments was enacted while he was a state representative.
Interestingly, Platner had also supported Jackson during the gubernatorial race, which could provide Republicans with ammunition to critique him if he carries on with a Senate run.
Jackson isn’t the only name that’s being considered as a possible successor to Platner. Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, also finished behind former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, Hannah Pingree, in the gubernatorial primary. On Wednesday, Pingree announced her candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
Shah stated, “We must defeat Susan Collins, hold Donald Trump accountable, and fight for a government that serves everyday people, not just a privileged few. Today, I am proud to announce my candidacy for U.S. Senate,” he shared in a post.
We must defeat Susan Collins, hold Donald Trump accountable, and fight for a government that benefits everyday mainstreamers, not a privileged few. That’s why today I am proud to announce that I am running for United States Senate.
Establishment politicians have let us down. To… pic.twitter.com/QLDCijfNVf
— Nirav D. Shah (@nirav_maine) July 9, 2026
Shah further remarked that he would join a televised debate should he run, highlighting his leadership at the Maine CDC during the pandemic. He was later appointed to a high position within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Biden administration.
In terms of fundraising, Shah performed decently but came in fourth during the gubernatorial primary, trailing Pingree and other major candidates.
During the primary, he faced criticism regarding his stance on school selection and campaign funding from special interest groups. His campaign responded robustly, denying claims that he favored privatizing education.
Another potential candidate is former Maine senator Shenna Bellows, who has served as the state’s secretary of state since 2021 and previously led the ACLU in Maine.
SOS Shena Bellows joins @symonedsanders Last night to be discussed in the Maine State Senate.
She is seriously considering running if Platner drops out, arguing that “this movement is not about one person” and making the case for why her candidacy would be so strong.
Please take a look ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/xSGwVU2QLw
— Meredith Kelly (@meredithk27) July 8, 2026
Bellows gained national attention for her attempts to have Trump removed from the ballot in Maine during the 2024 election. She ran for governor mainly opposing Trump’s policies but placed fourth in the Democratic primary in June.
Although Bellows hasn’t officially indicated plans to run for the Senate, she did call for Platner to resign following the latest allegations against him.
In 2014, she unsuccessfully challenged Collins for the Senate, losing significantly.
Democratic Governor Janet Mills of Maine might also consider re-entering the Senate race after initially withdrawing her campaign earlier this year.
Governor Mills, who is term-limited, had previously suspended her active campaign due to financial concerns but has communicated that she remains invested in the struggle.
My statement discontinuing my candidacy for U.S. Senate: pic.twitter.com/IDs58EfatC
— Janet Mills (@JanetMillsforME) April 30, 2026
In June, she clarified the misunderstanding that she had dropped out, insisting that she had merely ceased active campaigning, and she still intended to vote.
Dan Kleban, co-founder of Maine Beer Company, briefly entered the Senate race but stepped back within a month to throw his support behind Mills.
Despite a lack of recent major race experience, Kleban’s campaign was characterized as an “outsider candidacy” that could resonate with Platner’s working-class appeal.
On Wednesday, Kleban confirmed he would pursue the Democratic nomination to replace Platner, stating, “I’ve been overwhelmed by the calls from Maine urging me to consider this race. I love Maine and all it has provided me. This is where my wife and I raised our teenage twins,” he shared in a post.
Jordan Wood, another candidate who made an earlier bid for Senate, has re-entered the race. He announced, “I’m Jordan Wood, a progressive reformer running for Senate in Maine to defeat Susan Collins.”
Wood previously served as chief of staff for former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California but shifted his focus to the House race after Maine Rep. Jared Golden announced his retirement.
Neither Golden nor Baldacci is expected to pursue the Senate seat, according to the Cook Political Report.
The potential candidates being discussed to succeed Platner include Shah, Jackson, Bellows, and Kleban, but it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold given the unprecedented nature of this scenario for the Maine Democratic Party.
Actor Patrick Dempsey clarified in an op-ed that, despite media speculation, he would not be entering the race for the Senate seat.
