Potential Platner exit opens new opportunity for pro-Israel Maine voters

Platner built a national profile through sharp criticism of Israel—launching his campaign with digital ads accusing the Jewish state of committing a “genocide” in Gaza.

By Corey Walker, The Algemeiner

As pressure mounts on Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner to withdraw following a sexual assault allegation, Maine Democrats are quietly preparing for the possibility of selecting a new nominee in one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races.

Under Maine law, Platner would have to withdraw by July 13 for Democrats to choose a replacement before the November election, setting off an increasingly public scramble among party leaders over who could take on incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).

Among the favorites to supplant Platner is former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, a longtime labor leader and former Democratic gubernatorial candidate.

Jackson reportedly filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to form a Senate exploratory committee early Tuesday and told local Maine news outlets that he believes he is the best person to carry the Democratic banner.

Jackson is viewed as a candidate capable of retaining much of Platner’s progressive coalition while bringing decades of legislative experience and a less polarizing public profile.

During his unsuccessful gubernatorial primary campaign, in which he finished third in June, Jackson notched endorsements from left-wing lawmakers Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).

Jackson has said little publicly about Israel.

However, he has connections to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)—a far-left political group that officially endorses the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and organized demonstrations celebrating the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel—and his ties to prominent anti-Israel lawmakers suggest he might adopt positions similar to Platner’s in an effort to maintain the progressive coalition his predecessor built.

Other Democrats under discussion include Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director Nirav Shah, former congressional candidate Jordan Wood, former gubernatorial candidate Dan Kleban, and even Gov. Janet Mills, although there has been no indication that Mills intends to enter the race.

Shah, who finished second in the recent gubernatorial primary, pitched himself as a potential replacement in a social media post on Tuesday, a day after both he and Bellows publicly urged Platner to withdraw.

“Right now, our number one priority must be defeating Senator Susan Collins,” Shah said.

“I have been having conversations with my wife, my team, and Mainers across the state about what comes next and evaluating whether I should enter the Senate race. As the Maine Democratic Party determines the nominating process, one thing is clear: it should be transparent and open.”

Though Shah is widely considered among the more moderate options and lacks Jackson’s far-left ties, he stated on social media Monday that if elected he would not support sending additional military aid to Israel and that he believes the war in Gaza constitutes a “genocide.”

Bellows, a former executive director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, may appeal to those hoping for a nominee sympathetic to Israel.

She signed a 2023 proclamation acknowledging the 75th anniversary of Israel’s founding and expressing hope that the Jewish state would enjoy “a peaceful and prosperous future.”

However, Bellows has said little about Israel in recent years, and she lost to Collins in a 2014 landslide—history that raises questions about whether she would be the strongest choice to unseat the incumbent.

Wood, a former chief of staff to ex-Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), finished third in a Democratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) after running a progressive campaign.

While Wood did not comment extensively on Israel, he raised eyebrows by promising not to accept donations from those tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the preeminent pro-Israel lobbying group in the US.

Kleban, a co-founder of the Maine Beer Company, launched a Senate campaign earlier this year before dropping out to endorse Mills and called on Platner to step down when the scandal broke.

During his campaign, which centered on kitchen-table issues such as affordability and healthcare, Kleban said he would not endorse a Sanders-backed bill to block Israel aid.

Mills, the popular governor whom Platner defeated in the Senate primary, has establishment backing and near-universal name recognition, but critics argue her campaign failed to inspire and that she would not energize Democratic turnout.

The looming contest is expected to become a debate over the party’s ideological direction.

Platner built a national profile through sharp criticism of Israel—launching his campaign with digital ads accusing the Jewish state of committing a “genocide” in Gaza and later accusing it of “exterminating” people in the enclave—positions that won him progressive support but drew fire from pro-Israel Democrats and many Jewish organizations.

His departure could open the way for a nominee who places greater emphasis on the longstanding US-Israel alliance and combating antisemitism while refocusing the campaign on economic issues and defeating Collins.

With Democrats defending a narrow path to retaking the Senate, party leaders have made clear that replacing Platner, if he withdraws, is not simply about finding another nominee but about rebuilding donor confidence, unifying a fractured coalition, and mounting a credible challenge in what remains one of the year’s most consequential races.