Maine Democrats debate challenges of replacing Graham Platner ahead of July convention
Eight Democratic candidates debated Thursday, outlining their credentials and policy positions as the party prepares to select a new Senate nominee to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
Eight Democrats vying to replace former nominee Graham Platner participated in a two-hour debate on Thursday, presenting their backgrounds and stances ahead of a July 25 convention that will choose the party’s Senate candidate. The first hour featured four candidates who had previously appeared on primary ballots, including former public-health official Nirav Shah, former Senate President Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former Capitol Hill staffer Jordan Wood. The second hour gave exposure to lesser-known contenders such as Dan Kleban, founder of the Maine Beer Company, who entered the race after Governor Janet Mills withdrew her campaign.
"I think people are sick and tired of career politicians," Kleban said.
Moderators asked the candidates how they would differ from Platner, whose controversial campaign left the party without a nominee. While none detailed the allegations that led to Platner’s withdrawal, several echoed his positions, with Jackson supporting Medicare for All, Shah calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Wood defending Platner’s characterization of Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.
The debate also addressed the recent fatal shooting of a child by an ICE officer in Biddeford. Shah condemned the incident, referencing his immigrant mother, and all four primary-ballot candidates called for the agency’s elimination or stricter oversight. Bellows recalled a time before ICE’s creation, and Jackson described the agency as “a rogue agency that gives us nothing but heartache and racism.”
Candidates focused their criticism on incumbent Sen. Susan Collins and President Donald Trump rather than on each other, reflecting the strategic need to unite behind a single nominee in what is expected to be a competitive Senate race. Shah’s delivery was noted as the most polished, while Jackson framed his campaign in working-class terms. The next opportunity for the candidates to address voters will be a CNN-hosted debate on July 23.