Platner, Democrats battles over his replacement

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Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner’s staffers on Wednesday accused the Democratic party of excluding grassroot supporters from determining who would replace the embattled party nominee in the November general amid allegations of sexual assault.

Platner’s campaign manager, Ben Chin, sent out a text blast alleging the Maine Democratic Party told staffers they’d “have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like” and that efforts would be helmed by the DC-based Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC).

“We firmly believe that the supporters and volunteers who built this movement deserve to have a real role in any nomination process,” Chin wrote.

“If the Maine Democratic Party hopes to harness our movement, and avoid disillusioning the hundreds of thousands of supporters who came into the fray because of our movement’s policies, it must consult the feedback and proposals of the people who built and sustained this,” he added, linking a Survey Monkey form for voter feedback to be shared with the Maine Democratic party.

Platner’s organizing director Spencer Toth also resigned from the Maine Democratic Party over their lack of engagement with grassroots organizers and volunteers.

The DSCC denied Chin and Tother’s claims in public statements on Wednesday.

“This is false. The Maine Democratic Party has made it clear that they are working to put forth an open process to select a nominee,” a DSCC spokesperson told The Hill.

“Graham Platner — who was credibly accused of rape — needs to drop out immediately so that Maine Democrats can begin the process of fielding a new candidate and focus on defeating Susan Collins,” they added.

Platner’s ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield said the Senate candidate raped her in 2021 by pulling off the condom during sex. Another ex-girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, spoke with Politico about how he forced her to have sex with him while he was intoxicated.

Platner has denied wrongdoing and chose not to suspend his campaign as of Wednesday evening. Several lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), have called for Platner to step down.

The Maine Democratic Party said scandals tied to Platner distract from the upcoming general election and the party’s efforts to oust incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

“While the Platner campaign remains focused on distracting from the job of defeating Susan Collins in November with false accusations against us, the Maine Democratic Party remains hyper focused on developing a representative, transparent and inclusive process to select a new nominee when he chooses to withdraw from the race,” Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, said in a statement.

“While we may be frustrated with Graham Platner’s continued efforts to manipulate this process, we are so thankful for his supporters and all of their efforts to defeat Susan Collins – they are a vital part of our Party and deserve to participate in an open process to select Platner’s replacement,” Murphy-Anderson added.

Read the full story at The Hill ↗

Controversy surrounds Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner following sexual assault allegations from two ex-girlfriends, which he denies. As pressure mounts for his withdrawal, his campaign staff have publicly objected to how the Maine Democratic Party and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee plan to select his replacement. The campaign argues grassroots supporters should have input; party leadership counters that an open process is underway. Several national Democratic figures have called for Platner to step aside, citing the need to focus resources on the general election against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.

Read the full story at The Hill ↗

The Hill