Maine Candidates Are Already Eyeing a Senate Bid if Platner Drops Out

While Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner still remains officially in the campaign, several contenders in Maine are already lining up for a potential ballot spot if he were to drop out.

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Onetime congressional candidate Paige Loud officially filed Tuesday to run for the Senate in Maine. Former state Senate President Troy Jackson has filed paperwork to form an with the Federal Election Commission.

“I’m the only candidate that’s demonstrated that I could win statewide,” Jackson told NBC News on Wednesday.

Jackson, who lost his bid for the Democratic nomination for governor but earned the backing of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) in that race, said he believes a statewide convention is the best way to select a new candidate if Platner drops out.

“I don’t want party insiders to pick the candidates or anything like that,” Jackson told NBC. “I totally disagree with that. So a statewide convention where everyone gets the opportunity, I think, is the best case for this very unusual situation.”

Jackson topped an internal poll conducted by Platner’s campaign on who would be best to take on Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.

Loud, who was the top choice for 10% of primary voters in Maine’s ranked-choice voting system during the Democratic nomination in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, told NOTUS she was officially in.

“In six months, I went from no one knowing who I was to garnering over 10% of first place votes in one of the most highly competitive primaries east of the Mississippi,” Loud said.

Loud had worked as a policy strategist on Platner’s campaign in its early stages. Political strategists have said those kinds of ties could haunt some potential candidates.

Loud said she’s proved her progressive bona fides with her policy focus.

“It’s actually why I think I’m the most qualified out of the progressives that have launched this initiative,” she said. “I have been very vocal about the different scandals that have come out. I was the last person in the state to provide my endorsement of Graham Platner.”

Dan Kleban, who was running in the Democratic Senate primary but dropped out when Maine Gov. Janet Mills entered the race, has also said he is interested in being the nominee.

“Over the next two weeks, we need an open, transparent process to select our nominee,” Kleban posted on Substack. “I’m ready to fight for Mainers and bring a new generation of leadership to Washington. I believe I can unite our party and finally defeat Susan Collins in November.”

Jordan Wood, a former congressional aide who also ran in the Democratic primary for the 2nd District, also signaled interest.

“If there is an opening, then I want to be considered, and if asked to, then I will be humbled and happy to serve as the nominee,” Wood told NOTUS.

Wood said that unlike some of the others who have expressed interest in replacing Platner on the ballot, he has experience running for federal office and working at the Capitol. Wood also launched a run for Collins’ Senate seat, but switched over to the House race after Democratic Rep. Jared Golden said he would retire.

“I’m coming out of running for federal office and have a honed message against her [Collins]: the need for generational change and reform, and to move our state and our country in a new direction,” Wood said. “There has always been a lot of similarities for Graham and I on our platform [against] corruption, Medicare for all, ending corporate power of Congress, guaranteeing a right to unionize and organize for every citizen, guaranteeing a right to abortion, and getting rid of the filibuster to do it.”

Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger told WMTH-TV that Platner urged her to run, though the Platner campaign denied any endorsement.

“He’s not made any decision on endorsing. Graham called Valli to thank her for her support and encouraged her to consider running if he stepped down,” a Platner campaign spokesperson said.

Nirav Shah, who also ran in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, also hinted he could run.

“Anyone running for this nomination should agree to at least one televised debate and hold multiple public town halls across every corner of the state. I am committed to doing that, if I run,” Shah posted on X.