Battle begins to replace Graham Platner as his withdrawal from Senate race looms

Nationally, too, the midterms look like an uphill battle for Democrats to win a majority in the upper chamber of Congress, where they hope to put checks on President Donald Trump’s power.

Along with unseating Collins – the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate – Democrats must hold on to all their existing seats and then gain three more.

Platner won over Democrats in Maine’s recent primary with an outsider persona and populist views, but he was dogged duriung his run by misconduct allegations, which he denied.

Now candidates to replace him are walking a fine line between aligning with the policies that he successfully ran on while proving they can take on Collins and her formidable operation.

Over the last few days, hopefuls have made their ambitions known, even before Platner announced his campaign suspension.

Public health expert Nirav Shah, who came in a close second while seeking the party’s nomination for Maine governor earlier this year, announced he would stand, as did former state senator Troy Jackson, a former logger.

Jackson also campaigned for governor, often appearing alongside Platner at campaign events, as well as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, one of Platner’s most vocal left-wing supporters. But Jackson came in a distant third.

In a statement posted to social media, Shah said “our number one priority must be defeating Susan Collins” and called for a “transparent and open” selection process that would include at least one televised debate and multiple town halls.