As Democrats prepare to swap Graham Platner out with Troy Jackson in the Maine Senate race, their Platner problems are poised to extend well beyond the the Pine Tree State, according to campaign finance records obtained by the Washington Reporter.
Jackson himself was one of Platner’s top allies during the latter’s scandal-plagued Senate campaign. Both Democrats frequently appeared alongside each other, and both were endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.). Jackson’s ties to Platner are expected to dog him through November’s election against Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine).
But Jackson isn’t the only Democrat Platner remains closely tied to; Platner’s most recent fundraising report, filed with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) shows that top Democrats and their leadership PACs stood with Platner until the waning days of his campaign. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) donated $62,000 to Platner’s campaign, for example.
During his failed Senate campaign, Platner pushed the state’s governor, Janet Mills, to suspend her campaign in the face of overwhelming support he received from the state’s Democratic voters throughout the process.
Two Senate Democrats, Sens. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D., N.M.) each sent Platner $10,000 from their leadership PACs. Such transfers, while standard, could still prove problematic for both ambitious lawmakers as Republicans work to tie Democrats across the country to Platner.
Following Platner’s withdrawal, the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) Chairman ,Joe Gruters, said that “Democrats rolled in the mud with Platner, and now they are completely stained by their association with this sick monster.”
But Democratic senators and their operations weren’t alone in backing Platner with their cash. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) and Jamie Raskin (D., Md.) sent Platner $5,000 and $1,000 from their leadership PACs, respectively.
