Merged 2026 Mid-Term election outcomes: US Congress

[dudalb]

SOmeone here hates moderates and centralsit..despite the fact they decide elections.

 

[dudalb]

And another accusation agains Platner in Maine. GUy needs to drop out, he just has too much baggage.

 

[Segnosaur]

And another accusation agains Platner in Maine. GUy needs to drop out, he just has too much baggage.

Yes, an allegation from a former girlfriend who claimed he committed sexual assault. For what its worth, the allegation comes from a person who is (supposedly) a registered Democrat. (This would supposedly reduce the chance that it was just "some republican operative trying to sabotage the Democrat") Platner has denied the allegations, but has said he wants to take time to decide on what he was going to do. (He has a week or 2 to decide if he wants to stay in the race or drop out.)

Some of the people who initially supported him have withdrawn their endorsement.

See:

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/06/graham-platner-sexual-assault-allegation-00987737

Calls grow for Graham Platner to drop out after sexual assault allegation

Several top Democratic figures call on beleaguered Maine Senate candidate, who denies accusation, to step down

www.theguardian.com

 

[W.D.Clinger]

Platner's campaign is toast. If he drops out before next Monday, Maine's Democratic Party can name a different nominee. If he doesn't drop out, it's going to be hard to imagine Susan Collins losing the general election for yet another term as senator.

 

[dudalb]

Platner is taking time 'to reflect 'on his candicacy.
He will be gone within a week.
It might give Democrats a talking point; We get rid of our bad apples; the GOP makes them into gods.

 

[Segnosaur]

Platner's campaign is toast. If he drops out before next Monday, Maine's Democratic Party can name a different nominee. If he doesn't drop out, it's going to be hard to imagine Susan Collins losing the general election for yet another term as senator.

Problem is, even if he does drop out, it has harmed the Democrat's chances of winning the seat and retaking the senate.

There will probably be some progressives who will claim "these are false allegations/its a plot by establishment democrats to get rid of a popular candidate" and will sit out the election. There will also be more moderate voters who will think "how could the democrats let someone like that win the nomination in the first place/both parties are the same" and will also sit out the election.

 

[dudalb]

And now the big names in the Democratic party make it clear they want Platner gone.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5955790-democrats-call-platner-out/

 

[dudalb]

Looking for somebody to blame, other then Platner, I look at the democratic voters who voted for him despite tons of warning signals before the primary.

 

[PitPat]

Problem is, even if he does drop out, it has harmed the Democrat's chances of winning the seat and retaking the senate.

There will probably be some progressives who will claim "these are false allegations/its a plot by establishment democrats to get rid of a popular candidate" and will sit out the election. There will also be more moderate voters who will think "how could the democrats let someone like that win the nomination in the first place/both parties are the same" and will also sit out the election.

That's what's so frustrating, it's so much of an unforced error. It's a crucial senate seat that Dems just plopped right in the hands of the GOP. Not sure if there's anybody realistic in the wings to replace him though - or how finicky Maine voters are.

 

[The Atheist]

Yet again, the Democrats have a gigantic, repulsive target but still manage to shoot themselves in the foot.

 

[dudalb]

Someone suggested Stephan King run as a write in..............
I guess people wanted to beleive the "Simple Oyster Farmer" narrative Platner ran, and ignored all the flashing red lights.
Sadly, people often ignore facts if they contradict what they want to beleive. This is true for a number of things, not just religion.
Of course, I have come to consider blind adherence to a political ideology to be just as bad as blind adherence to religion.
ANyway, almost every political commentator is saying Platner is through and will be gone in a matter of days.

 

[Segnosaur]

Yet again, the Democrats have a gigantic, repulsive target but still manage to shoot themselves in the foot.

Of course there is a major difference between this time and other times.

Previous failures seemed to get blamed on "moderate/centrist democrats", and that somehow if the party took a hard shift to the left, they would find everlasting success and a wave of popular support.

Now we have Platner, a candidate that was (initially) thought to be the "progressive democrat" wet dream... said all the right things on things like health care, Israel, etc. Got plenty of support from people like Bernie Sanders. Anyone suggesting Mills as a a candidate was seen as somehow "backwards" and too "establishment". And now it might all be going down the drain.

Maybe things are a little more complex than "gosh some Democrat lost it must be because their policies were too far left/centrist/etc.".

 

[Segnosaur]

It might give Democrats a talking point; We get rid of our bad apples; the GOP makes them into gods.

Realistically, it should.

Unfortunately, the fact that Platner was allowed to stay in as long as he did, combined with the fact that many people defended him over the past few weeks will probably mean the "We got rid of bad apples" argument might not work that well.

 

[Segnosaur]

That's what's so frustrating, it's so much of an unforced error. It's a crucial senate seat that Dems just plopped right in the hands of the GOP. Not sure if there's anybody realistic in the wings to replace him though - or how finicky Maine voters are.

Well, earlier in the primaries, former gov. Janet Mills was in a statistical tie with Collins. I am not saying that she will or should be the replacement candidate, but I think it does show that support for Democrats was based on more than just "Loving the progressive Platner", and that other Democrats might have a shot at beating Collins.

A couple of other options I have seen: Former State Senate member Troy Jackson, former Candidate Sarah Gideon (who lost to Collins in 2020) and former rep. Hannah Pingree.

All of them have the advantage of being experienced politicians (so they are unlikely to have any hidden skeletons in their closet). Jackson may have the best polling numbers. The trouble with Mills or Gideon is that they have both lost important races (Mills losing to Platner in the primaries, Gideon losing to Collins in the 2020 election) and being a loser is not a good look.

 

[plague311]

Jesus, if this thread is to be believed why should the Dems even pick another candidate? It's over anyway. Just cede the election and focus elsewhere.

 

[Segnosaur]

Jesus, if this thread is to be believed why should the Dems even pick another candidate? It's over anyway. Just cede the election and focus elsewhere.

Are you talking about in Maine, or democratic woes in general?

If about Maine... even if selecting platner has caused them headaches, there are still reasons to think a seat can still be won.

Trumps unpopularity has had a spillover effect into the midterms, so that even a "good" republican could be defeated. And mills (who was not a particularly popular governor) was statistically tied with collins in polling earlier in the primaries. A good democratic candidate can make the state competitive again. The fact we are worried does not mean we think all hope is lost, just that we hope the democrats take the situation seriously

And Maine is pretty important when it comes to retaking the senate. It is the only seat held by a republican in a state that Harris won in 2024. If they lose there, they would have to perform a miracle by winning 4 other senate elections in states trump won (in some cases by double digits)

 

[Beelzebuddy]

It's not going to be "neophyte mistakes." He's a GOP plant. Another Sinema setup. The second he gets into office he's going to turn hard-right fascist. How is this not absolutely obvious to everyone? This MFer's got more red flags than a Soviet parade.

I guess I was wrong, he did make a mistake - not waiting until after next week's replacement deadline to start trashing his candidacy.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Kevin McCarthy on Platner Allegations: That one thing I know about Republicans is when we had a very bad candidate, we didn't vote for that person. We walked away

video in link

 

[Donal]

Platner is taking time 'to reflect 'on his candicacy.
He will be gone within a week.
It might give Democrats a talking point; We get rid of our bad apples; the GOP makes them into gods.

The sumbaggery of Republicans is not a secret. Anyone still OK with them is not going to be turned like that

 

[Ziggurat]

It might give Democrats a talking point; We get rid of our bad apples; the GOP makes them into gods.

Everyone knew he was a bad apple a long time ago. They didn't drop him because he's a bad apple, they're dropping him because now they know he would lose.