Democrats in mad dash to replace Graham Platner before deadline

2026 ElectionDemocrats launch a mad dash to replace Graham Platner by a critical deadlineCampaign volunteers have literally been taping over old Graham Platner signs to quickly repurpose them for new candidates.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00At a launch event for Nirav Shah, volunteers were repurposing old campaign materials for his new Senate campaign.Brennan Leach / NBC NewsShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 9, 2026, 4:18 PM EDTBy Brennan Leach and Sahil KapurFREEPORT, Maine — Democrats vying to replace Graham Platner as the party’s Senate nominee now have less than three weeks to make their case. There isn’t a minute to waste.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The need to sprint was abundantly clear at a launch event here for Nirav Shah, who ran Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention during the Covid-19 pandemic. Shah also ran — and lost — in last month’s Democratic primary for governor.Volunteers were taking “Shah for Governor” stickers and cutting off the words “for Governor.” On his signs, they were taping over “Governor” and writing “Senate.”00:47Volunteers repurpose old material in dash to replace Platner00:0000:00And they were even taking old Platner signs and spelling out “Nirav” in tape over the former nominee’s name.Shah is one of at least half a dozen Maine Democrats who have announced they’re running since Platner withdrew Wednesday evening amid blowback after an ex-girlfriend came forward and accused him of sexual assault in 2021. Platner has denied the accusation.The party has to have a new candidate by 5 p.m. on July 27, otherwise it will be stuck with Platner’s name on the ballot against Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Maine Democrats plan to hold a convention to pick their replacement nominee; the date has not yet been set.The chaos of the process reflects the unprecedented nature of what’s happening in the state, as the party tries to rebuild for this toug...