Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows on Thursday launched a bid to replace Graham Platner as the Democratic nominee for Senate.

BREAKING: Graham Platner Ends Senate Campaign Before Critical Deadline Amid Sexual Assault Allegation

"I'm in," Bellows wrote on X.

"The people of Maine have been building something real – a movement that deserves to go all the way to November. I've spent my entire career taking on tough fights for working people, and I'm not stopping now. I'm running for United States Senate, and together we are going to defeat Susan Collins," she continued.

POLITICO has more:

Bellows, who recently lost in the Democratic primary for governor, had been widely expected to enter the race after Platner suspended his campaign. She was fielding calls about a possible bid in the days after POLITICO reported an allegation of sexual assault against him, according to one person familiar with her campaign, granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. Platner denied the allegation.

A progressive Democrat, Bellows has built a national profile as Maine’s secretary of state, often clashing with President Donald Trump over election administration. She joins several other former gubernatorial hopefuls, including former public health official Nirav Shah and former Platner ally Troy Jackson, as official contenders for the Democratic nomination.

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But the race marks Bellows’ second bid for the Senate. She challenged Collins, the Republican incumbent, in 2014 and lost — a defeat that is likely to draw fresh scrutiny as she makes her case to Maine voters this time around.

"Maine is blessed to have so many leaders who've devoted their lives to fighting for everyday people. And I'm blessed to have the support of so many of them now. Together, we will defeat Susan Collins, and we will create a state and a country that work for the working people who make them run," Jackson said on Thursday.

The Hill shared further:

If Bellows becomes the nominee, she will square off against Collins in a rematch of their 2014 duel. In that race, the Republican incumbent won by nearly 37 points over Bellows — who was coming off an eight-year stint as the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine.

Since then, Bellows spent four years in the Maine Senate and has been the state’s top election official since January 2021.

Nearly three years into her tenure, she ruled President Trump could not be on the ballot in the 2024 GOP presidential primary in Maine, citing his conduct with regards to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Supreme Court unanimously overturned her decision in March 2024.

As for how Maine Democrats will choose Platner’s successor, leaders from the state party said Wednesday that state committee members voted to hold a nominating convention on the matter. Under state law, Maine Democrats must select a replacement by July 27.

 

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