Key takeaways:
- Graham Platner was expected to win Maine’s Democratic Senate primary, but his margin could affect Democratic confidence in his general election campaign.
- Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign earlier this spring, but her name remained on the ballot and some Democrats urged late support for her after allegations against Platner.
- Under Maine law, a party nominee can withdraw before July 14 and be replaced on the ballot, according to NBC News.
Polls closed Tuesday in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary, where Graham Platner was expected to win the nomination despite a burst of late controversy that has raised questions about the size of his victory and his strength against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
Platner, a 41-year-old Marine veteran and oysterman, entered the final stretch as the presumptive nominee after Gov. Janet Mills suspended her campaign this spring, citing a lack of funds, when he had pulled far ahead in polling. But Mills’ name remained on the ballot, along with David Costello, the party’s 2024 nominee against independent Sen. Angus King. Andrea LaFlamme, a left-wing activist, ran as a write-in candidate.
The outcome could carry consequences beyond Tuesday’s vote. NBC News reported that under Maine law, a party nominee can withdraw before July 14 and be replaced on the ballot. A decisive Platner win would strengthen his case that Democratic voters remain behind him, while a weaker showing could intensify concerns among party leaders about whether he can defeat Collins, who is seeking a sixth term.
Late-breaking allegations complicated the race. NBC News reported that early voting began May 11, more than two weeks before The Wall Street Journal reported on Platner’s history of sexually explicit text messaging with several women early in his marriage. Five days later, The New York Times reported on behavior that three ex-girlfriends described as “toxic” and “unsettling.” The Guardian reported that some out-of-state Democrats made a late push for voters to support Mills after a former romantic partner accused Platner of having been physically abusive to her on two occasions between 2013 and 2015.
The Guardian also reported that Platner has faced scrutiny over racist, sexist and homophobic online posts and a tattoo, now covered up, that resembled a Nazi symbol. Even so, the outlet reported, he has drawn large crowds across Maine with sharp criticism of Washington and an outsider message.
Early voting may have softened the effect of the late controversies. By Friday, when the Times story was published, more than 30,000 Democrats had already voted, according to NBC News. The network reported that about 25% of Democratic primary votes in Maine are typically cast early.
A University of New Hampshire poll conducted in mid-May, after Mills suspended her campaign and before the latest controversies, found Platner supported by 76% of likely Democratic primary voters, NBC News reported. If his final share lands near or above that level, it would signal durable support; a result well below it could fuel further Democratic unease.
The race drew at least one high-profile vote. Author Stephen King announced on social media that he voted for Platner, The Guardian reported.
If Platner wins, he will face Collins in one of the Senate races Democrats view as a possible pickup opportunity. Collins, 73, is the only Senate Republican seeking re-election in a state Kamala Harris won in 2024, according to The Guardian. The general election is expected to unfold during a national political climate shaped by President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, foreign-policy crises, high gas prices, persistent inflation, a sweeping immigration crackdown, deep Medicaid cuts and weakened federal agencies, the outlet reported.
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