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2026 Maine Senate
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Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 6:01 AM EST
Maine Democratic Senate Replacement
Coverage from Press Herald, Reuters, and others
After Graham Platner withdrew, Maine Democrats reopened their 2026 U.
S. Senate nomination and assembled an expedited replacement process. Eight candidates—including Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, Shenna Bellows, Jordan Wood, Paige Loud, Dan Kleban, David Costello, and Elizabeth Dickerson—presented competing approaches in a statewide debate before delegates were scheduled to choose a nominee at a Bangor convention. The contest also brought policy differences over abortion, immigration enforcement, government corruption, healthcare costs, and the influence of wealthy donors into focus, with the race framed against Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
Looking Back
10 Day Timeline
Jul 9
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Jul 14
Jul 15
Jul 17
Jul 18
History
10/02/2026
The current version identifies the man killed in the Biddeford ICE shooting as Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero. The nomination contest and its timeline are otherwise unchanged.
All Articles80 articles
Important
Portland Press Herald questionnaire responses from Maine Democratic U.S. Senate contenders ahead of a June 25 Bangor delegate convention showed broad alignment on Medicare for All, campaign finance reform, ICE overhaul, and an F grade for Susan Collins.
7/17/2026 • Issues & Policy Debates • General
News Center Maine expanded a July 16 Democratic Senate debate in Maine to nine candidates after campaign objections, while the Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 Bangor nominee convention.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
In Portland, Maine, eight Democrats debated ahead of a July 25 delegate vote to select a nominee to challenge Susan Collins, with immigration central after a Biddeford shooting.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Ashley Webb and other Maine Democratic candidates debated in Portland at WCSH-6 as the party prepares delegate selection and signature requirements to nominate a challenger for Susan Collins.
7/18/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Democratic candidates competing to replace withdrawn nominee Graham Platner in Maine debated ICE abolition and Medicare for All before a July 25 Bangor nominating convention.
7/18/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Four Democrats debated in Maine on selecting a nominee next weekend to challenge Senator Susan Collins, focusing on immigration and cost pressures.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
On July 16, News Center Maine moderated the first Democratic primary debate for Maine's 2026 Senate contest, centering Shenna Bellows's criticism of Sen. Susan Collins's foreign-policy record.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
A Portland Press Herald questionnaire ahead of Maine Democratic Senate convention voting found candidates aligned on Medicare for All, ICE overhaul, campaign finance reform, and halting offensive weapons funding for Israel.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democratic presidential candidate replacements held a debate on Supreme Court reform and abortion rights ahead of a July 25 Bangor delegate vote.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democratic Senate mini-primary candidates sought delegate momentum over a weekend as debates and messaging targeted Susan Collins and Donald Trump, with renewed ICE focus after a Biddeford killing.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Nirav Shah and Troy Jackson debated after Graham Platner withdrew, focusing on abolishing ICE following a fatal Biddeford shooting as Maine Democrats moved toward a July 23 debate and July 27 nomination deadline.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Four Maine Democrats debated July 17 over who should replace Graham Platner and face Senator Susan Collins, focusing on immigration enforcement, foreign policy, and affordability.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debated in Maine on Thursday night to replace withdrawn nominee Graham Platner, centering immigration enforcement and Medicare for All ahead of a July 25 nominating convention.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
On Thursday, eight Maine Democratic Senate candidates debated ahead of a July 25 convention to choose a nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
News Center Maine expanded a Democratic U.S. Senate debate in Portland to nine declared candidates after easing an initial 20% primary vote eligibility rule, ahead of the July 25 Maine Democratic convention in Bangor.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
CNN and Bangor Daily News schedule a July 23 Democratic debate in Bangor ahead of the July 25 convention, where signature rules may narrow the Maine Senate replacement field.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democrats must choose a replacement for withdrawn U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner by July 27, as a Biddeford ICE related shooting fuels immigration enforcement debate.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
News Center Maine expanded a Maine Democratic U.S. Senate debate on July 15 in Portland to include eight filed candidates, ahead of the July 25 Bangor nominee convention.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
BIDDEFORD, Maine, July 2026: Maine Democrats move to replace withdrawn Senate hopeful Graham Platner after a fatal ICE shooting amid intensified immigration enforcement debate.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
News Center Maine expanded a Democratic U.S. Senate debate in Portland on July 15 after campaigns challenged an initial 20 percent primary vote cutoff for stage participation.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
In Biddeford, Maine, a fatal ICE shooting on July 14 intensified immigration enforcement focus as Maine Democrats prepare a July 25 convention and July 27 deadline to replace withdrawn Senate candidate Graham Platner.
7/14/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Jordan Wood told reporters in Lewiston on Monday that his Maine Senate bid offers Democratic voters moral clarity on a Graham Platner-linked controversy timeline.
7/14/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
After a fatal ICE shooting in Biddeford, Maine Democrats accelerate a July 25 convention and July 27 nominee deadline amid renewed immigration enforcement debate.
7/14/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates will debate Thursday night on News Center Maine ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention selecting a replacement nominee to face Susan Collins in Maine's U.S. Senate race.
7/14/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democrats scheduled a televised 90-minute candidate debate after Rory Platner withdrew from the 2026 Senate race, setting up a July 25 convention to choose a nominee to face Susan Collins.
7/14/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
News Center Maine will host a 7 p.m. televised U.S. Senate debate in Maine featuring eight Democrats as delegates prepare to select a replacement nominee after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debated Thursday on News Center Maine as Maine Democratic Party delegates prepare for a July 25 Bangor convention to replace Graham Platner by a July 27 deadline.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic Senate candidates in Maine will debate Thursday on News Center Maine ahead of a July 25 nominee convention after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debate Thursday on News Center Maine as the Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 Bangor convention to replace Graham Platner for the U.S. Senate contest.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debate Thursday on News Center Maine to define pitches ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention replacing Graham Platner as Maine's U.S. Senate nominee.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate on News Center Maine Thursday as Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 Bangor convention after Graham Platner withdrawal.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debate Thursday on News Center Maine as the Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 Bangor convention to replace withdrawn nominee Graham Platner.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic Senate candidates debate on News Center Maine Thursday at 7 p.m. ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention to replace withdrawn nominee Graham Platner.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate Thursday on News Center Maine as Maine Democrats prepare a July 25 Bangor convention to replace Graham Platner for the Susan Collins U.S. Senate contest.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debated on News Center Maine Thursday as Maine Democrats prepare a replacement Senate nominee by July 27 after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate on News Center Maine Thursday at 7 p.m. as Maine Democratic Party sets a July 25 Bangor convention after Graham Platner withdraws.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate Thursday on News Center Maine for Maine U.S. Senate nomination replacement after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates participate in a televised Maine U.S. Senate debate ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention to choose the Democratic nominee after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debate Thursday night on News Center Maine as Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 Bangor convention and a July 27 nominee-selection deadline after Graham Platner withdraws.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic U.S. Senate candidates debate Thursday on News Center Maine ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention to choose the nominee after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate on News Center Maine on Thursday evening as Maine prepares for a July 25 convention and a July 27 deadline to replace Graham Platner for Susan Collins seat.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic U.S. Senate candidates in Maine will debate on News Center Maine Thursday at 7 p.m., ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention to replace withdrawn nominee Graham Platner.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debate statewide Thursday at 7 p.m. on News Center Maine as Maine sets up a July 25 convention to replace Graham Platner.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debate on News Center Maine on Thursday as Maine Democratic Party delegates prepare to choose a replacement U.S. Senate nominee in Bangor on July 25.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates for Maine U.S. Senate replacement nominee debated on News Center Maine ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debated Thursday at 7 p.m. on News Center Maine for the nomination replacement after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate Thursday night on News Center Maine ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention to replace withdrawn nominee Graham Platner for Susan Collins's Senate seat.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates will debate on News Center Maine Thursday at 7 p.m. as the Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 Bangor convention to replace Graham Platner after his withdrawal.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Maine Democratic candidates debate Thursday as the party prepares to replace Graham Platner by a July 27 legal deadline.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates will debate on News Center Maine Thursday at 7 p.m. as the Maine Democratic Party prepares a July 25 convention to select a replacement nominee for Graham Platner.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic U.S. Senate replacement candidates debated on News Center Maine Thursday as the Maine Democratic Party plans a July 25 Bangor convention after Graham Platner withdrew.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debate on News Center Maine Thursday to pitch for a July 25 Bangor convention nomination after Graham Platner withdraws from Maine's U.S. Senate race.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Maine Democrats debated Thursday on News Center Maine after Graham Platner withdrew, ahead of a July 25 Bangor convention to select the party Senate nominee replacement.
7/15/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democratic candidates debated Thursday for a July 25 convention to replace Graham Platner and mount a challenge to Susan Collins, with ICE enforcement and Biddeford’s killing driving discussion.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democratic Senate nomination candidates debated ICE elimination and enforcement reforms on Thursday after an ICE shooting in Biddeford and following Graham Platner's withdrawal.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
News Center Maine hosted a Maine Democratic Senate debate in Bangor featuring Shenna Bellows, Nirav Shah, Troy Jackson, and Jordan Wood less than two weeks before July 27 nominee selection.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democratic Senate candidates debated July 2026 options to challenge Sen. Susan Collins, emphasizing ICE proposals after a Biddeford fatal shooting and the July 25 convention selection process.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Maine Democrats debated Thursday to replace Graham Platner for the 2026 U.S. Senate race against Susan Collins, spotlighting ICE criticism after the Biddeford shooting.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates debated in advance of Maine's July 25 nominating convention to replace Graham Platner and face Susan Collins on November 3.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democrats set a July 23 CNN and Bangor Daily News debate ahead of a Bangor convention vote where delegates will choose a replacement nominee after signature filings.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
After Graham Platner withdrew on July 9 amid sexual-assault accusations, nine Democratic candidates debated in Maine for a July 25 state convention vote by 601 delegates.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Ashley Webb debated Thursday night for the Maine Democratic Senate nomination replacement as the party prepares a July 25 Bangor convention.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democrats debated in Maine on Thursday, with Kalshi listing Troy Jackson as the Democratic nomination frontrunner ahead of 601 delegates.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democratic candidates debated Thursday to replace Graham Platner, ahead of a July 25 nominating convention after Platner exited the 2026 Senate race.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Eight Democratic candidates will debate Thursday at 7 p.m. ET as Maine Democratic delegates prepare to select a July 25 nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
CNN and Bangor Daily News host a July 23 debate for Maine Democratic candidates replacing Graham Platner ahead of a July 25 delegate convention in Bangor.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
CNN and Bangor Daily News will host a July 23 debate as Maine Democrats prepare a June 25 convention vote to replace Graham Platner.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Interesting
Ashley Webb remarks about songwriting during a Maine Senate debate went viral Thursday night, with the Maine Democratic convention on July 25 set to select a nominee against Susan Collins.
7/18/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Ashley Webb entered the Maine Senate race and used a News Center Maine debate to argue for unity, criticize immigration enforcement, and call for spending cuts, drawing viral reaction in 2026.
7/18/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Ashley Webb's qualifications remarks during a Maine Senate debate went viral Thursday night ahead of a July 25 Democratic convention selecting the nominee to face Susan Collins.
7/18/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Shenna Bellows and Ashley Webb drew scrutiny during a 2026 Maine Senate debate, leaving Democrats portrayed as unprepared to challenge incumbent Susan Collins.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democrats held a Thursday Senate debate after Graham Platner withdrew following rape allegations, shaping nominee selection among Bellows, Jackson, Shah, and others.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
John Loftus argues in a Maine Senate debate assessment that Democratic difficulty unseating Susan Collins is reinforced by low Democratic approval in RealClearPolling averages.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
A Twitchy report described a Maine Democratic Senate candidate forum on committee-based nomination selection and linked forum criticisms to potential gains for Sen. Susan Collins.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democrats scheduled a Senate primary debate in Portland as a July 25, 600-plus-delegate convention prepares to choose a replacement for Graham Platner.
7/16/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
LGBTQ Nation promoted Jordan Wood as a potential nominee to challenge Sen. Susan Collins in Maine's 2026 U.S. Senate race after Wood re-entered following Graham Platner's withdrawal.
7/11/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Jordan Wood announced a Maine Democratic Senate bid after Graham Platner withdrew, with a July 27 deadline for ballot replacement.
7/9/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Jordan Wood announced a Democratic Senate nomination bid in Maine from Harpswell after Graham Platner withdrew Wednesday evening, aiming to extend Platner's populist message.
7/9/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Ashley Webb went viral after a Maine Democratic Senate debate when qualifications remarks focused on songwriting and books ahead of the July 25 primary nominee selection against Susan Collins.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General
Maine Democrats held a U.S. Senate debate after Graham Platner’s withdrawal as eight candidates pursued ballot qualification ahead of a July 25 convention.
7/17/2026 • Candidates & Campaigns • General