While the outcome of Tuesday’s primary was never in doubt, the margin was; a mediocre showing against Maine Governor Janel Mills (D), who dropped out after running a begrudging campaign, would suggest that Democrat Graham Platner had taken on water from his recent stream of scandals.
As of Wednesday morning, with about 88% of the vote tabulated, there were no such warning signs.
Platner’s Percentage of the Vote Paces Gideon’s
Sara Gideon, former Maine House speaker and the Democrat who ran against Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in 2020, got 71.5% of the primary vote against two longshot competitors. Platner currently has 71.9%.
He also garnered more votes. Gideon got 116,264; with more to come, Platner is at 141,581.
A University of New Hampshire poll published in late May — post Mills’ dropping out and pre-the extramarital sexting scandal and accusations that Platner could be an aggressive boyfriend — gave him 76 percent of the vote share of likely 2026 Democratic primary voters.
So far, we’re not seeing the kind of precipitous dropoff that would inflame calls for him to exit the race before the mid-July deadline for Democrats to put someone else on the ballot.
So Far, No Notable Enthusiasm Gap
Another indication of voters cooling on Platner could have come from the competitive Maine governor primaries. But as of Wednesday morning, 140,441 votes had been cast in the Democratic governor’s primary with approximately 26,000 more expected (totaling 166,441). The Senate race is expected to net around 221,108 votes.
The governor’s race is too close to call, with the top three candidates jockeying in the 20s. The ranked-choice race will go to a second round, where three of the progressive candidates have formed a coalition that might be able to knock off Nirav Shah, who ran the Maine CDC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Platner had campaigned with former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, one of those progressives, who’s currently in third.
Establishment Dems Continue to be Wary
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee put out a conspicuously Platner-lite statement Tuesday night: “Over the past year, we have created a path to win a Democratic Senate majority and put a stop to the chaos and damage of the Trump administration by defeating the Republicans who enable his harmful agenda. Susan Collins has never been more vulnerable after she voted with Trump 96 percent of the time, confirmed his far-right judicial nominees, and took millions from special interests while voting to rip health care away from Mainers. In November, Maine voters will elect Graham Platner, and we will win a Senate majority.”
Mills didn’t mention him in her concession statement either.
The Democratic National Committee, though, congratulated Platner and cheered his campaign.
Platner’s survival of the most recent scandals depended, in large part, on the continued support of his big-name progressive backers. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) stuck by him, with Sanders quipping that he doesn’t know many “saints” in the Senate. Late-breaking support also came from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) — fairly progressive personally, but also a member of Senate leadership — and Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), who replaced former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) when he was forced out amid accusations of touching and kissing women against their will.
Platner Stops Short of Confirming that There Are No ‘Concerning Pictures’ Out There
In his first post-win interview on MS NOW, “Morning Joe” host Mika Brzezinski pressed Platner on whether there is more potentially damaging information about him in other people’s hands, specifically any “concerning pictures.”
Platner: “I was single for the majority of my adult life. I was in my 20s and 30s when I dated and, you know, that’s in the modern age. That’s what happens. You date people, and you use dating apps, and you do all this stuff. And frankly, that all happened long before I got married and happened long before I decided to run for the United States Senate.
I can just tell you there is nothing out there that is going to be — will run counter to any of the stories that I’ve talked about openly this entire campaign.”
She also asked whether the sexting scandal would affect his ability to push for the release of the Epstein files.
Platner: “I engaged in consensual romantic activities with adults at an earlier part in my life. That seems like a fairly normal thing most people do. Going to an island with billionaires to possibly assault children is a vastly, vastly different thing.”
In New Memo, NRSC Warns Republicans Not to Underestimate Platner
The memo was seemingly distributed to various news outlets on Wednesday.
“The political fundamentals in Maine remain challenging, and it is a fatal mistake to assume Platner is too damaged to win,” said a copy obtained by Politico. “He is currently leading. Vice President Harris won the state by 7 points, and the National Democrats view this as their only path to regaining control. Senator Collins has won tough races before and can win this one, but only if we meet this moment with total urgency.”
