Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) announced her campaign on July 9, 2026, to become the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat in Maine, following the withdrawal of Graham Platner. Platner, who won the Democratic primary last month with a progressive platform, suspended his campaign after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct. One accuser, Jenny Racicot, alleged to Politico and CNN’s Jake Tapper that Platner raped her in 2021.
Bellows, who previously challenged incumbent Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in 2014, emphasized the ongoing political movement in Maine, stating the people "have been building a movement that deserves to continue all the way to November." She expressed her intent to unify Democrats in the state and run a campaign focused on working people, opposing a broken system, and defeating Collins.
The Maine Democratic Party announced that state committee members voted to hold a nominating convention to select Platner’s successor. Party leaders, including Chair Charlie Dingman, Vice Chair Imke Schessler, and Executive Director Devon-Murphy-Anderson, pledged to maintain transparency throughout the process.
Bellows also echoed Platner’s populist rhetoric, stating her campaign "will be your campaign."
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