Who will replace Graham Platner on the ballot? 7 Democrats to watch

By — Patrick Whittle, Associated Press Patrick Whittle, Associated Press By — Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/who-will-replace-graham-platner-on-the-ballot-7-democrats-to-watch Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Who will replace Graham Platner on the ballot? 7 Democrats to watch Politics Jul 9, 2026 1:50 PM EDT PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Democrats in Maine began jockeying Thursday to become the new candidate for a pivotal U.S. Senate seat after progressive nominee Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from the race after a sexual assault allegation. READ MORE: What happens next in Maine and the battle for Senate control Democrats need to pick a candidate to replace Platner on the ballot by July 27, according to state law. Whoever is selected will have less than four months before facing longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. Potential candidates had already been teasing their interest before Platner, who denies the allegation, announced he intends to drop out. But a growing number began formally launching their campaigns Thursday. The Maine Democratic Party has said it will hold a nominating convention to choose the replacement. The party says the convention will involve hundreds of delegates from across the state, but how and when that'll take place remains unknown. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Maine is considered a key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, and Democrats are desperate for a candidate capable of defeating Collins while President Donald Trump is broadly unpopular. READ MORE: Patrick Dempsey says he's not running for Senate in Maine as Democrats weigh a replacement These are some of the people who have shown interest in the Maine Senate race. Troy Jackson Jackson is Maine's former state Senate president. He unsuccessfully ran to be the Democratic nominee for governor earlier this year with the backing of Platner and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shortly after Platner said he would quit the Senate race, Jackson launched his campaign, arguing that Mainers want "a progressive fighter." Our Revolution, the organization founded by Sanders, has since said it would back Jackson, 58. Jackson released a statement with dozens of endorsements, many from current and former state and local officials, on Thursday. Nirav Shah Shan, former director of Maine's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, announced Thursday he was vying to be the next Democratic Senate candidate. He came in second in this year's Maine Democratic governor's primary and was seen as more of a moderate candidate compared with Jackson while running for governor. "To the movement that supported Graham Platner, my message is this: you have a place in this campaign," Shah, 49, said in a statement. Dan