Maine Democrats are meeting in Bangor on Saturday to choose a new candidate for U.S. Senate. They need a replacement because their original nominee, Graham Platner, quit the race earlier this month after a woman accused him of raping her in 2021. NPR

Platner won the Democratic primary election on June 9, according to the Associated Press. He stopped his campaign in early July after a woman he had previously dated said he raped her. Democratic Party leaders called on him to withdraw on July 6, Reuters reported. Platner has said the allegation is not true.

Replacing him on the ballot drew a lot of interest. By July 9, five candidates had declared, according to Reuters. A debate on July 16 included nine candidates on stage after the hosting station agreed to let more people participate. By the time Democrats convene this weekend, most rivals had dropped out, and three candidates remained: Troy Jackson, Saundra Pelletier, and David Costello, according to WMTW.

Jackson, a logger from northern Maine who previously led the Maine Senate, appears to be the front-runner. He won delegate-selection meetings in half of Maine's counties on July 18, Maine Public reported. Reuters reported on July 19 that Jackson had gained majority delegate support, which means he is likely to win the nomination to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins. Another contender, Shenna Bellows, dropped out the same day.

Jackson supports policies on the left side of the Democratic Party: Medicare for All, tax increases on the ultra-wealthy and large corporations, abolishing ICE, ending U.S. military aid to Israel, passing LGBTQ civil rights legislation, and making abortion a federal right. He previously held more conservative views on LGBTQ rights and abortion before changing his positions.

State Senator Stacy Brenner, a farmer and nurse who supports Jackson, said his change on those issues was compelling. The Washington Post and CNN have reported that Jackson showed a short temper with colleagues during his time in office.

The Maine Democratic Party's website at mainedems.org features a countdown timer for the nominating convention and a link to final delegate results. The party published a guide on July 16 explaining how delegates participate in the convention.

Maine's ballot-access rules mean the party cannot simply pick a new candidate. Because Platner had already won the primary, state rules require a convention where delegates chosen at local meetings cast votes. Think of it like a second mini-election. That made the July 18 county meetings important for building Jackson's lead before the formal vote in Bangor.

Democrats need to gain four seats to win back control of the U.S. Senate in the 2026 election. The Maine seat, held by Collins, is one of the races Democrats are targeting. Collins, first elected in 1996, has not been easy for Democrats to challenge, but the party's path to a majority runs through races like this one.

The nominee will face Collins in November. Republicans currently hold 53 of the 100 Senate seats. A Democratic takeover requires flipping four seats while holding every seat they already have, a margin that leaves almost no room for error in any single race.