Chuck Schumer, the Senate’s top Democrat, said he is staying out of Maine’s Democratic nominating process as the party rushes to pick a new Senate candidate to replace Graham Platner ahead of a July 25 convention.
When asked Tuesday if he would endorse a candidate before the nominating convention, Schumer said simply, “I’m staying out of Maine,” according to Politico. The decision marks an unusual step back for the New York senator, who is known for heavy-handed interventions in party races and for working every possible angle to give Democratic campaigns an edge.
Schumer’s hands-off approach reflects a political calculation: publicly backing any candidate could backfire, with opponents using his endorsement against them. “He doesn’t want to put his thumb on the scale,” said a Democratic strategist quoted by Politico. “Anyone he wants would be toxic.”
The stakes in Maine are extraordinarily high for Senate Democrats. Maine is the only state with a Republican senator where voters backed Kamala Harris in 2024, making it a crucial pickup opportunity if Democrats are to flip the Senate. To do so, they need to flip four GOP seats while holding all their own—a narrow path that makes Maine nearly essential to any path to the majority.
Schumer’s previous intervention in the race backfired. He spent months recruiting Gov. Janet Mills to enter the primary, assuming the 78-year-old statewide officeholder would appeal to older women voters who have been key to Senator Susan Collins’ coalition. Mills ran a listless campaign, raised little money, and watched as 41-year-old insurgent Graham Platner captured the hearts of Maine Democrats and national attention.
Platner, a harbor master, won the Democratic primary in June. But his campaign unraveled in early July when Politico reported that a woman accused him of sexual assault. The Maine Democratic Party called the allegations “serious, credible” on July 6, and Platner withdrew from the race on July 10, according to multiple outlets including NBC News and NPR.
Platner’s exit created an unprecedented scramble. Maine Democrats scheduled a July 25 nominating convention where delegates will choose a replacement to face Collins in November. Several candidates are competing for the nomination, including state Senator Nirav Shah, state Representative Shanna Bellows, and businessman Dan Kleban, according to the New York Times.
Behind the scenes, several Maine candidates have reported seeing no evidence that Schumer, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or Senate Majority PAC—groups over which Schumer holds major influence—have intervened in the renomination process, Politico reported. The DSCC is instead letting the Maine Democratic Party lead the process and focusing on defeating Collins and building resources for the eventual nominee.
Schumer is not alone in stepping back. Progressive senators who had earlier backed Platner, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Martin Heinrich, and Sheldon Whitehouse, have also said they have no plans to endorse before the convention. “They have a process,” Heinrich said of Maine Democrats, according to Politico. “They’re the most informed people to figure out who best to pick up the mantle.”
Some Democratic contenders have made Schumer’s leadership itself a campaign issue. Dan Kleban posted an article last week titled in part, “I Won’t Vote for Chuck Schumer for Leader,” according to Politico.
Sources
- Politico — Schumer’s statement staying out of Maine, his previous intervention in the race with Gov. Mills, explanation of his hands-off approach, and reporting on candidates’ lack of contact with national party figures
- NBC News — Reporting on Maine Democrats racing to pick a new candidate and the timeline
- NPR — Confirmation of Platner’s withdrawal from the race
- The New York Times — Reporting on the July 25 convention and the candidates competing for the nomination
