Maine Democrats accuse Graham Platner campaign of meddling in Senate replacement process

The Maine Democratic Party said Graham Platner's campaign has repeatedly contacted party officials in an effort to shape the process for selecting a replacement nominee if Platner exits the U.S. Senate race. "Unfortunately, Graham Platner's team has repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like," party executive director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a video posted to social media. "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."

Platner's campaign did not respond to a request for comment, but a statement to Politico denied any attempt to exert influence. The allegations against Platner, reported by Politico, have led most Democratic leaders to call for his withdrawal, including Senator Bernie Sanders, who was an early supporter. Platner has until July 13 to step aside, after which the party will outline the selection process for a new nominee. If he remains on the ballot, he will appear in November's election, a contest Democrats view as crucial for regaining Senate control.