Democrats avoid a messy fight in Maine, but uncertainty lingers: From the Politics Desk

From the Politics DeskDemocrats avoid a messy fight in Maine, but uncertainty lingers: From the Politics DeskPlus, Darline Graham to seek full Senate term in South Carolina.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Troy Jackson is poised to replace Graham Platner as Democrats' Senate nominee in Maine.Sophie Park / Bloomberg via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 20, 2026, 5:00 PM EDTBy The Politics DeskWelcome to From the Politics Desk, a daily newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics team’s latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.In today’s edition, Sahil Kapur digs into what comes next for Democrats in the Maine Senate race. Plus, Rebecca Shabad and Frank Thorp V report on Darline Graham’s decision to seek a full Senate term. Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.— Adam WollnerDemocrats avoid a messy fight in Maine, but uncertainty lingersAnalysis by Sahil KapurLess than two weeks ago, Graham Platner bowed to pressure in the wake of a sexual assault allegation and dropped out of Maine’s critical Senate race, leaving Democrats in shambles as warring factions hurled insults at each other.But after one awkward debate and a weekend of local party meetings, Democrats quickly consolidated behind Troy Jackson, the former Maine Senate president, to replace Platner on the ballot, averting a divisive convention fight for the mantle to take on veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Jackson all but locked up the primary by dominating delegate selection contests across Maine through the expedited process set up by the state party to pick a replacement nominee by the July 27 deadline under state law. His superior on-the-ground organization and pro-union record made him the progressive favorite, including among Platner’s former supporters, but without alienating the pa...