Succession fight is underway as calls mount for Graham Platner to drop out of Senate race

By — Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press By — Patrick Whittle, Associated Press Patrick Whittle, Associated Press By — Jesse Bedayn, Associated Press Jesse Bedayn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/succession-fight-is-underway-as-calls-mount-for-graham-platner-to-drop-out-of-senate-race Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Succession fight is underway as calls mount for Graham Platner to drop out of Senate race Politics Jul 8, 2026 1:12 PM EDT PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Democratic nominee Graham Platner hasn't resigned from the Maine U.S. Senate race following an allegation of sexual assault . But the succession battle to take his place got underway Tuesday. The allegation reported Monday prompted a chorus of calls for Platner to depart the high-stakes race against Republican Sen. Susan Collins, which could decide party control of the Senate. Platner's long-time backer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, "recommended that he step aside." Then, Tuesday evening, The Washington Post reported that an ex-girlfriend of Platner's had accused him of removing condoms during sex without her consent. WATCH: More Democrats call for Platner to drop Maine Senate bid after sexual assault accusation Platner, who has denied all the allegations, has been mum on whether he'll step aside. And the Maine Democratic Party, charged with creating a process to pick his replacement, hasn't publicly announced their plans. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. On Tuesday night, Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson released a video saying the party is developing an "open, inclusive, transparent and fair" process but won't disclose details until Platner withdraws. Platner's team has repeatedly tried to "put their thumb on the scale," she said. "We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner's team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like," she said. WATCH: Tamara Keith and Carrie Dann on Platner facing calls to drop out of Maine Senate race An official for the Platner campaign responded that it "has reached out to the party to try and understand what this process would look like" and "at no point has the campaign tried to 'put its finger on the scale.'" The official added that thousands of Maine residents voted and volunteered for Platner and they should play a role in the decision. "While Graham wouldn't want to be a part of the process, he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision — not the political establishment," the statement said. So far, the succession battle has played out in a murky power vacuum. A growing number of candidates are teasing their entry into the race as a fight shapes up between the progressive wing and the establishment camp of the Dem