WASHINGTON (AP) — Nevada, South Carolina and North Dakota hosted primary elections Tuesday, but much of the political world was focused on Maine’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest.
The results were never in question. Neither Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins nor Democratic challenger Graham Platner faced serious opposition for their party’s nomination. And yet Tuesday marked an especially significant moment for Platner, the embattled veteran and oyster farmer, who is fighting to rebuild his credibility in a campaign rocked by controversy.
Elsewhere, President Donald Trump’s clout within his party was tested anew in states like South Carolinaand Nevada, where he endorsed his favored candidates. Democrats hoped to build momentum in Nevada as part of a broader push to reclaim key governor’s seats.
Here’s some of the biggest takeaways from Tuesday’s primaries.
Platner tries to shift the conversation
There is no question that Platner has repair work to do.
The Maine Democrat openly acknowledged as much Tuesday night, telling a room packed with cheering supporters that “people can change.”
“Any of those who feel let down or disappointed or disillusioned, it is my job to earn your trust, faith and support,” Platner said. He later added, “I’ve made mistakes in my life, mistakes that I regret, that I live with, that I continue to learn from.”
It was hardly a defiant message for a man who sits at the very center of the Democratic Party’s fight to reclaim the Senate majority. Although he spent the closing minutes of his election-night speech attacking Collins, much of the night was choreographed to address other controversies.
It was barely a week ago when revelations surfaced that Platner had engaged in sexually explicit messages with multiple women while married. Allies wondered if more baggage would emerge, and then The New York Times reported new allegations about his behavior during previous relationships.
Platner’s mother took the stage before he spoke. She declared: “I am very, very proud of my son. I’m proud of who he is.” And then Platner’s wife appeared at his side before and after his speech. They held hands, touched foreheads and kissed.
Platner’s rival for the Democratic nomination, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her campaign in April after it became clear Platner was in a commanding position.
A much more difficult challenge lies ahead: earning his own party’s trust as he tries to defeat Collins, who is running for her sixth term.
Maine race tests Democrats’ standards
As the controversies surrounding Platner have mounted, his support among Democrats has remained intact.
His victory — and his party’s response — underscores how much the party has changed in the Trump era. Democrats who once embraced a near-zero-tolerance approach to serious allegations of personal misconduct are increasingly prioritizing electability in their quest to return to power in Washington.
Jim Messina, who led former President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, said “a star is born” after Platner’s speech Tuesday night.
Few lawmakers illustrated the Democratic Party’s evolution more clearly than Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith. On Monday night, Smith offered an unequivocal endorsement of Platner, saying that if she lived in Maine, “he’d have my support, no question.”
