Graham Platner, the former Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, is scheduled to appear as the featured speaker at a Labor Day rally in Ellsworth, marking one of his first public events since withdrawing from the race in July.
The event, titled “Labor Day Rally for Labor,” is organized by Hancock County Activists and will take place at Ellsworth City Hall, near Platner’s hometown. According to a notice posted on the Hancock County Democrats’ website, the gathering will feature musical performances and serve as the start of a series of events focused on labor issues leading into the election period.
Platner is set to discuss the history of unions and the role organized labor has played in communities and the country. Organizers have not publicly linked the appearance to any formal campaign activity, and a party source confirmed the event is not hosted by the Hancock County Democratic Committee or affiliated with the Maine Democratic Party.
Platner, a Marine Corps veteran and self-styled oyster farmer from Sullivan, Maine, first entered the public eye as a political newcomer in 2025. He quickly aligned himself with the party’s far-left progressive faction and received endorsements from notable figures like Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and several other notable progressives.
He ultimately secured the Democratic Party nomination in the June 9 primary, where he received roughly 72 percent of the vote. Platner’s nomination marked one of the earlier victories for progressives candidates, a number of whom have since won primary races in a number of states.
The nomination was short-lived, however, as Platner was accused of sexual assault and violent behavior by a former romantic partner in early July.
Facing pressure from Democratic leaders and allies who urged him to step aside, he announced the suspension of his campaign operations on July 8.
🚨 JUST NOW: GRAHAM PLATNER is making a RETURN to the Maine US Senate campaign trail to defeat Sen. Susan Collins (R), in favor of Troy Jackson (D)
The same guy with the Nazi tattoo and R*PE allegations
Vote red, Maine!
Troy Jackson is BARELY any different from Graham Platner… pic.twitter.com/IsRPX8Ll7i
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 13, 2026
This withdrawal cleared the way for the Maine Democratic Party to select a replacement nominee under state election rules, which allow a party to fill a vacancy if a candidate exits by a specified mid-July deadline. The party opted for a special nominating convention rather than other processes. Delegates were chosen through county-level meetings in the following week, with the party ultimately coalescing around Troy Jackson, another progressive candidate.
The Senate contest between Jackson and Collins is widely viewed as competitive. Collins has held the seat since 1997 and maintains significant name recognition, while Democrats see an opportunity in a state that supported their presidential nominee in 2024.
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