Maine Democrats fracture as Platner exits amid scandal, Senate race reshaped

Maine Democrats will hold a July 25 convention to nominate a new U.S. Senate candidate to replace Graham Platner, who withdrew after a woman publicly alleged he drunkenly raped her in 2021; several Democratic contenders who lost Maine’s gubernatorial primary are vying to replace him, and party leaders including Kirsten Gillibrand have begun fundraising, arguing that flipping Maine is crucial to controlling the Senate, with a replacement deadline of July 27.