Maine
Platner’s voters are reeling as Maine Democratic Party races to choose his replacement
Maine Senate hopeful, Democrat David Costello, speaks with a potential voter as he gathers signatures, required to be considered at the party’s convention, in downtown Brunswick, Maine on July 12.
Tamara Keith/NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Tamara Keith/NPR
BRUNSWICK, Maine – On a sunny Sunday, Senate hopeful David Costello worked the sidewalk in downtown Brunswick asking for signatures.
“Woud you happen to be a registered Democrat?” he asked one woman before engaging in a back and forth conversation. She asks if he’s progressive.
“Very progressive,” Costello said.
Costello is one of several Maine Democrats who see the fall of Graham Platner’s senate campaign as an opportunity to represent Maine in Washington.
Platner won June’s Democratic primary election handily. But allegations of rape by a former romantic partner last week forced him to drop out of the race. It leaves Maine Democrats scrambling to find a new nominee before the July 27 deadline to put a name on the ballot. Platner denies the allegations.
The Maine Democratic Party will hold a convention on July 25 where 601 delegates will choose that nominee. That candidate will need to capitalize on the enthusiasm Platner generated to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
An unstoppable incumbent or a top pick-up opportunity?
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, leans down to listen to a young paradegoer at the annual Moxie Day Parade is Lisbon, Maine on July 11.
Susan Sharon/Maine Public
hide caption
toggle caption
Susan Sharon/Maine Public
Collins remained quiet at the end of Platner’s campaign but at the annual Moxie Day parade Saturday in Lisbon, Maine, she walked with volunteers in red shirts.
“People appreciate the fact that I provide steady leadership — and the word steady does come up a lot,” Collins said at the parade, “and that I continue to work really hard for Maine.”
Collins has represented Maine in the Senate since 1997. She has managed to stay in her seat even as Maine has voted for Democrats for president statewide, including in 2020 when the state voted for Joe Biden. Collins last won reelection that year with a comfortable margin — more than 8.5%.
At the annual Moxie Day Parade in Lisbon, Maine, supporters of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, march with signs and giant letters spelling S-U-S-A-N, on July 11.
Susan Sharon/Maine Public
hide caption
toggle caption
Susan Sharon/Maine Public
Democrats see Maine as pivotal to their chances to retake the Senate. Platner’s departure from the race puts pressure on the party to choose a replacement candidate who can win over Platner’s loyal voters and appeal to independents who are key to Collins’ electoral success. Maine state Senate President Mattie Daughtry, a Democrat, is encouraged to see many of the candidates running on Platner’s progressive platform of transformational change. But she’s worried about voters being turned off by the process.
“I do have that deep seated concern of how many folks are going to say ‘oh well, this man failed me. Why trust someone ever again?’” Daughtry said.
Daughtry did not endorse Platner and she quickly called on him to drop out of the race after the rape allegations surfaced. Still, she thinks his message resonated.
“I ran for office when I was 25 because I was really really angry. I was working 4 jobs. I couldn’t afford an apartment and I had no healthcare. And unfortunately that story has not changed and it is a lived reality for millions of us across this country,” Daughtry said.
“And we need to find who can pick up that mantle. Who understands what that life is like and really tap into that raw energy,” she added.
Supporters weigh what’s next
Just one month ago, Alan Crichton was playing saxophone at Graham Platner’s primary night victory party. At a brewery in Belfast, Maine this weekend, he noted his ambivalence.
“I have so many mixed feelings. I like the guy. I like his message a great deal and I think he galvanized people who are just kind of sick of what’s happening,” Crichton said.
Now, though, Crichton calls the situation “a big old mess.” As a Democrat, he hoped the charismatic populist Platner would be the one to finally knock out Collins. Though, at this point, he’ll vote for whoever the Maine Democratic party selects.
“I hope it’s somebody who can kind of carry the torch that Graham kind of lit and held out there very strongly. He was a very inspiring guy,” he said.
Joseph Berube of Northport, Maine, gave up on politics in 1972 after Democrat George McGovern lost the race for president in a landslide. This year, though, he got excited about Graham Platner’s candidacy for U.S. Senate.
Tamara Keith/NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Tamara Keith/NPR
Joseph Berube is an independent voter who lives in Northport, Maine. After decades disengaged from politics, Graham Platner sparked something in him he could hardly believe.
“Because I am so apolitical,” Berube said, “I want nothing to do with it. [But] I was actually considering giving money to his campaign.”
Charlotte Agell is on the opposite end of the engagement spectrum. A registered Democrat, she is very politically involved and has been for decades. She met Platner early on in his campaign.
“One of our neighbors said, ‘hey would you like to come to my backyard and meet Graham Platner?’ I had sort of heard of him,” she remembered. “When I went to that back yard event, I just by happenstance walked in with him. It was me and Graham Platner walking in.”
By the time that event ended, she had signed up to volunteer for his campaign.
“I felt a kinship with everything that was coming out of his mouth basically. Very smart. Good at identifying the problem,” Agell said.
Core to Platner’s economic populist message was that the system has been failing regular people while the rich and powerful get more rich and more powerful. He had faced controversies throughout his campaign. He easily won the nomination anyway. But then came the rape allegation. Berube believes the rush to judgment was too swift.
“I agree with women’s rights and women shouldn’t be abused,” he said. “But to have one person come up and stand up and say, ‘he abused me,’ and then that’s it? It’s just not really fair to him.””I just think they didn’t want him,” Berube added.
Berube says Democrats chopped the legs out from under someone who had brought people back into politics.
“He was bringing in people like me and that’s what’s going to do this. And you know what, we’re in the middle of a war to save this country,” Berube said. “And we have the other side that’s fighting with the gloves off and we’re putting the gloves on. We’re in trouble.”
Charlotte Agell has been processing it all a little differently. Agell admits to being a chronic optimist but says this was never about one man.
“You know, we’re not a cult. We’re just a movement that wants to take back this country for the middle and the working class,” she said.
Agell wants to believe this massive disruption won’t sap the momentum for change she felt.
“It’s really been like a rocket ship. We’ve all been on it. And that’s why, when these very serious things have been alleged and rightly he has dropped out of the race, we’re kinda still flying at 90 million miles an hour and saying ‘who can take the controls’ and we’re going to figure that out,” Agell said.
State Senator Chip Curry says the state party is doing the best it can with a tight timeline.
“It’s a winnable race and we’ve got some great people. We’ve got to get there,” Curry said.
There are more than half a dozen announced candidates. And for Democrats the stakes couldn’t be higher. No clear frontrunner has emerged from the candidates who have put themselves forward to be considered. It’s also not clear if one candidate can capitalize on the momentum that Platner was building in Maine. Still, some are remaining optimistic.
“People are going to grumble. I’ve grumbled a little bit. But I think we’ll get through this,” Senate hopeful David Costello predicted. “I think whoever the nominee is will have tremendous support.”
The first Friday of August in Maine was hot and humid enough to make you sweat just sitting there.
The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a heat advisory for Friday predicting that the heat index — how hot it feels when combining heat and humidity — would get within a degree or two of triple digits. It covered an area from Kittery nearly all the way to Millinocket, with areas at higher elevations in western Maine spared.
The agency slightly expanded the area of the advisory early Friday afternoon and projected the heat index would reach or break 100 degrees in some areas.
It did just that.
The heat index reached 105 degrees in Bath; 104 in Denmark, Old Orchard Beach and Windham, and 103 in Cape Elizabeth, Otisfield and Westbrook, according to the weather service’s unofficial data Friday evening. The heat index peaked at 102 degrees in Waterville; 101 in Durham and Mechanic Falls; and 100 in Brunswick.
However, some coastal communities under the advisory evaded that triple-digit mark Friday, including the Portland area. The Portland International Jetport recorded a heat index of 96 degrees, according to the weather service.
Actual temperatures across Maine ranged from the high 80s to mid 90s.
The advisory expired for Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Washington counties at 6 p.m. Friday but remained in place until 8 p.m. for the impacted areas to the south, which included all of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Waldo and York counties.
The weather service projects that the heat should begin to fade Saturday, but it will remain hot and humid. Overnight lows are only forecast to drop to the high 60s and low 70s through the weekend, according to the weather service.
Much of the state can also expect to see rain showers on Saturday, and possible storms with heavy downpours and wind gusts at times.
This bargain hunter’s dream is worth hopping in the car for and heading to Cumberland Center.
Don’t let the end of summer get you down. Grab your reusable bags, bring some cash, and get ready to shop until you drop!
Spring, summer, and fall are prime yard sale seasons in Maine, and there’s nothing better than the thrill of finding an unexpected treasure. After all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. If browsing hundreds of yard sale booths in one location sounds like your perfect Saturday adventure, you’ll want to mark your calendar for incredible day of shopping.
Read More: 5 Bangor, Maine Spots Perfect For A Second Chick-Fil-A
Maine’s Ultimate Yard Sale returns for its late-summer event on Saturday, September 12, from 9am to 3pm, at the Cumberland Fairgrounds, located at 197 Blanchard Road in Cumberland Center.
With more than 200 sellers and 5,000+ bargain hunters expected, this massive event has become one of Maine’s biggest yard sale gatherings.
Shoppers can search for everything from antiques and collectibles to vintage finds, handmade items, home décor, furniture, tools, clothing, and unique treasures you won’t find anywhere else. With antique dealers, artisans, small businesses, and everyday sellers all under one roof, every booth offers the chance to uncover something special. Think of it as your own personal episode of Antiques Roadshow, you never know what hidden gem is waiting.
Before you go, remember this is a cash-only event, and there will be no ATMs on-site.
Admission:
Adults: $10
Children under 12: Free
Food vendors will also be available with lunch, snacks, and refreshing drinks to keep you fueled for your treasure hunt.
For more information about Maine’s Ultimate Yard Sale, visit the event page on Facebook
Happy bargain hunting!
LOOK: Here are just some of the most magical places in Maine
From hidden swimming holes to secret bars behind bookshelves, here are some of the most magical places Maine has to offer.
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, (WGME) — NASA astronauts, including Maine’s own Jessica Meir, ventured out on a seven-hour spacewalk Thursday.
Meir and astronaut Anil Menon installed hardware at the International Space Station to support an upgraded solar array, scheduled for delivery this fall.
The mission also included periodic buddy checks for the pair to make sure everything was okay before they moved on to the next step.
Mission Control: “Nice work between the two of you on that choreography. Jessica, when you’re ready, tend the hatch thermal cover closed.”
Anil Menon: “You just want it partially closed?”
Mission Control: “Yes. It’s just a partial tending it in the closed direction.”
Jessica Meir: “Okay, copy. It works.”
This is the sixth spacewalk for Meir.
-
Finance52 seconds ago‘Better ways to use gas’: Amazon finances massive US plant for data centres
-
Fitness7 minutes agoDeadlift: How this one exercise builds strength, burns fat and improves posture
-
Movie Reviews19 minutes agoMovie Review: TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA
-
World31 minutes agoSatyajit Ray’s ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ Making to be Chronicled in Srijit Mukherji’s ‘Maharaja Tomare Selam’
-
Health1 hour agoIs BRP the Next GLP-1 Alternative? How It Quiets Food Noise Without Nausea
-
Lifestyle1 hour agoFalling in love with an octopus, a dog, and Sally Field : Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
-
Technology2 hours agoNitecore’s latest power bank is the lightest and most compact yet
-
World2 hours agoTrump ally ‘El Tigre’ sworn in as Colombia’s new president amid continent’s rightward shift
