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pat_k

(14,733 posts)
18. Maine will get a new nominee in an open process. And that candidate will be stronger than Platner.
Wed Jul 8, 2026, 09:53 PM
Wednesday

More on the likely nomination process and people in the running here.

And there is every reason to expect that the nominee that comes out of the process will be a much stronger candidate against Collins.

https://www.hopiumchronicles.com/p/some-thoughts-on-whats-next-for-maine

As I wrote yesterday I still believe a solid, strong generic Democrat can beat Susan Collins this November. Harris won Maine by 7 points. Our candidate for Governor Hannah Pingree leads by 15. The generic ballot is 53%-42% Dem right now. This is the most favorable environment of any battleground state right now. But it is going to be essential, vital for whomever we pick to be able to put distance between them and Platner. For not only is he a despicable figure now, his political project was never as successful as his reckless gaslighters led us to believe; and this matters for the broader conversation about the future of our party...

We are going to spend some time with data now.

Over the last several months prior to the June primary Platner led Collins by an average of 7 points over Susan Collins. This is exactly the margin Harris won Maine by in 2024, 4 points below the +11 generic ballot the NYT published last week, and at least 8 points below our gubernatorial candidate, Hannah Pingree. I will once again share that recent chart of how our battleground Senate candidates are doing relative to Harris. This uses the NYT results for Platner from last week:



The Fox News poll last week had Platner trailing Susan Collins by 3. What this all means is that Platner has had the worst polling of any of our battleground candidates in the country this summer in what is by far and away the most Democratic state we are competing in this year.
...
The +15 is where Hannah Pingree, a well-established Democrat in Maine, is right now. Last week Platner was +2 in the NYT poll, and -3 in the Fox News poll.

G. Elliott Morris published an analysis last night that makes some of these same points...

Let’s now look at a bit more data from this new analysis from Morris. The number on the right column is the number of percentage points our candidates are over/underperforming against expectations right now in their nowcast model:

Talarico 5.4
Cooper 4.5
Brown 4.2
Turek 3.7
Michigan -5.9 (both El-Sayed and Haley Stevens)
Platner - 9.9

While Ossoff and Peltola are not included in Morris’ analysis they would fall into the overperformance camp, not the underperformance camp based on publicly available polling data of late.
....


Recommendations

9 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Don't let the door hit you! BigmanPigman Wednesday #1
I hope we Mainers can clear up the mess quickly, secure a worthwhile candidate and dispose of Susan Collins Bumbles Wednesday #3
They shall. pat_k Wednesday #19
Suspending? Innocent Smith Wednesday #2
Every politician does this. progressoid Wednesday #10
Campaign funds iemanja 4 hrs ago #75
Please make sure candidates are vetted MissKat Wednesday #4
It's not about Fetterman or Bernie. It's about what Mainers are telling us they want. MadameButterfly Wednesday #20
Let's see. 2024. Primary over. Primary candidate chosen. Ask or told (whichever way you view it) to step aside AZLD4Candidate Wednesday #5
The point is Platner denies it Akakoji Wednesday #8
Yesterday someone said they won't believe until he admits he raped her sarisataka Wednesday #16
Other than the accusation, is there evidence of it? AZLD4Candidate Wednesday #33
He has a history sarisataka Wednesday #34
Well, we can kiss this senate seat goodbye. 2024 showed me what happens when we change candidates AZLD4Candidate Wednesday #37
If we must tolerate candidates sarisataka Wednesday #40
I'll elect people. You elect saints AZLD4Candidate 18 hrs ago #45
I'll elect people sarisataka 14 hrs ago #53
Homophobe too? Based on what evidence exactly? AloeVera 14 hrs ago #54
It is something he has admitted to in the past sarisataka 13 hrs ago #55
He has not "admitted" to making remarks as you describe them. AloeVera 2 hrs ago #78
You can keep on making excuses sarisataka 2 hrs ago #79
Yes, he miscalculated people's tolerance for the redemption arc and belief that people could "evolve". AloeVera 1 hr ago #80
OFFS, executioner, really MorbidButterflyTat 11 hrs ago #61
It showed one thing that can happen MadameButterfly 8 hrs ago #70
Jenny Racicot is a credible withness PCB66 18 hrs ago #44
Let's give him credit for doing the right thing MadameButterfly Wednesday #21
He didn't "do the right thing" PCB66 12 hrs ago #58
OK, do you wish he'd stayed in the race? MadameButterfly 9 hrs ago #64
In this day and age, accusation means conviction. You run one first to see how it floats. AZLD4Candidate Wednesday #32
You seem to be forgetting his very own rape apologist posts. That niyad 13 hrs ago #57
I'm not rationalizing anything. This seat is lost to us now. 2024 is my evidence. AZLD4Candidate 12 hrs ago #59
Interesting first sentence, since I never said that you had niyad 9 hrs ago #69
Wait till Gavin Newsom announces a Pres run if he so chooses Bengus81 19 hrs ago #41
The timeline was dictated by the candidate's actions, not the GOP. QueerDuck 18 hrs ago #46
Platner's "vetters" MorbidButterflyTat 11 hrs ago #62
He's awful. His vocal fry comes and goes... it's a defensive reflex. QueerDuck 11 hrs ago #63
Fuck him. He had a tattoo of a totenkopf on his chest one of the very last images that people saw before Botany Wednesday #6
And he worked for Blackwater. Crowman2009 Wednesday #11
The skull and crossbones or Totenkopf precedes the Nazis Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Wednesday #12
Doesn't matter. evolves Wednesday #14
Please stand by as we return to our regularly scheduled program. 🤓😄 littlemissmartypants Wednesday #35
Most everything the Nazi's used as symbolism came from somewhere else. Bengus81 19 hrs ago #42
MAGA goes back to the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association Torchlight 15 hrs ago #50
This. yardwork Wednesday #23
Several great choices pfitz59 Wednesday #7
Two great females who have already lost big to Collins, and one who lost big to Platner MadameButterfly Wednesday #22
Hatchet job, timing was sus duckworth969 Wednesday #9
My main question about Plantner is . . . AverageOldGuy Wednesday #13
He was Anti Israel and anti old politicians. The driving forces in Democrat politics these days. SMH. Pompoy Wednesday #17
Was the Maine Democratic Party for Platner? I thought they were for Mills MadameButterfly Wednesday #24
Well all said lets be glad it happened in time to replace him on the ballot. Exultant Democracy Wednesday #15
In 5-7 years... AdamGG Wednesday #28
Yes, July 13 was the deadline for a nominee to drop out. LisaL Wednesday #39
Maine will get a new nominee in an open process. And that candidate will be stronger than Platner. pat_k Wednesday #18
I liked the optimistic title to your post MadameButterfly 9 hrs ago #65
Simon presents compelling numbers, but I don't necessarily agree with the distance part. pat_k 8 hrs ago #71
Didn't Bellows get buried by Collins when she ran against her before? MadameButterfly 6 hrs ago #72
You're right. She did. A decade ago (2014) pat_k 6 hrs ago #73
He's toxic. xuplate Wednesday #25
Governor Mills may have some miles on her... GiqueCee Wednesday #26
Not according to the polls MadameButterfly 9 hrs ago #66
The executive director of the Mane Democratic Party is on with Lawrence asking for donations. SamuelAdams Wednesday #27
I just watched her. sheshe2 Wednesday #30
It depends on whether they listen to Maine voters MadameButterfly 9 hrs ago #67
Structural pressure ? What the hell.... reACTIONary Wednesday #29
I spotted that too and was on my way here to comment... so I'll just add my thoughts to yours. QueerDuck 17 hrs ago #47
Thanks for your thoughts! reACTIONary 13 hrs ago #56
What exactly does "We believe for the movement to continue" mean ToxMarz Wednesday #31
I think Mainer's thought they were in a movement MadameButterfly 9 hrs ago #68
No more posers, please. littlemissmartypants Wednesday #36
There's no Independent candidate on the ballot Warpy Wednesday #38
Yep...and bowing to her Fuhrer still claiming "I think he learned his lesson" Bengus81 18 hrs ago #43
So, what about Janet "See you in Court" Mills? 70sEraVet 16 hrs ago #48
I never understood the problem either BumRushDaShow 15 hrs ago #49
He had me fooled. I thought he was just gruff and blunt. bucolic_frolic 15 hrs ago #51
This obsession on a Democratic forum is almost funny - let it go, it's no longer relevant. ☮ walkingman 15 hrs ago #52
More rape apologists and defeatists?? MorbidButterflyTat 12 hrs ago #60
Let's regroup but also remember that Trump has been convicted of like crimes that he is only accused of. twodogsbarking 5 hrs ago #74
Unlike Republican voters, some Democratic voters iemanja 4 hrs ago #76
Wrong is wrong even if you wear vestments. twodogsbarking 4 hrs ago #77
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