How Could Platner Be Replaced? Veteran Maine Journo Answers the Question On Everyone’s Mind

Screenshot via C-SPAN

Veteran Maine political journalist Phil Hirschkorn tried his best on Tuesday to offer some clarity on one of the key questions surrounding the sexual assault allegations against Graham Platner: How do Democrats replace him on the November ballot?

Hirschkorn, who hosts Maine’s Political Brew, told C-SPAN that while “Maine state law has a provision” for a party to replace an incapacitated candidate, the situation with Platner is truly “unprecedented.”

Platner, the Democratic Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate, has been under pressure to pull out of the race ahead of next week’s deadline following the latest allegation against him.

Maine journalist and "Political Brew" host Phil Hirschkorn (@PHirschkorn) on how Democrats could replace Graham Platner (D) should he drop out of the U.S. Senate race: "No one really knows. This is unprecedented territory." pic.twitter.com/RNWW3WJDNZ

, CSPAN (@cspan) July 7, 2026

“There’s a 113-member state Democratic committee, but everyone I’m talking to says they can’t just meet behind closed doors and say, ‘Here’s the new nominee.’ That’s not going to fly. So how do they have an open process?” Hirschkorn began, adding:

People are speculating about a mini convention. Our runner-up Democratic candidate for governor, Dr. Nirav Shah, who led the Maine CDC through the coronavirus pandemic, suggested having a full debate with the people who tossed their hat in the ring, like he will probably do if Graham pulls out. It’s possible, but no one really knows. This is unprecedented territory.

We don’t think this has ever happened, although Maine state law has a provision for this happening. Other than death or a horrible illness that incapacitates you, this is a circumstance that Maine law has foreseen. And it sets the second Monday in July as a deadline for a duly nominated candidate to withdraw on his own, and he’s the only one who can do it. And then the party has until the fourth Monday in July, which would be July 27th, to name a replacement candidate. So we don’t know how that process would work.

Among the contenders are Dr. Shah, who I mentioned, Troy Jackson, who is our state senate president, who placed third in the primary. He’s already filed his paperwork with the FEC. He’s, I’m told, definitely interested, and the filing proves that. Our secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, who placed fourth in the primary, is also considering it, should the circumstance arise. Jordan Wood, who ran in the U.S. House race for the second congressional district, would enter the race, would put his name forward.

He told me, “If the circumstance arises.” He was a chief of staff to California Congresswoman Katie Porter, so some people in Washington know him. And then another candidate was actually on the ballot with Graham Platner and Janet Mills. His name is David Costello. He finished a distant third, 8 percent. He was actually the party’s nominee in 2024 but had the misfortune of running against independent Senator Angus King, who easily won a third term.

So that’s a list of names that are pretty well known in Maine. A couple of those folks are known nationally. Troy Jackson was the most ideologically aligned with Platner, and also they had sort of a bromance, if you will. They were both endorsed by Bernie Sanders and appeared jointly at some rallies, and Platner said Troy Jackson had been his first choice in our ranked-choice-voting governor’s race. So again, those are some of the names. The process is anybody’s guess.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

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