With Graham Platner announcing Wednesday that he will withdraw from Maine’s Senate race after days of speculation, the question now becomes: Who will replace him?

There’s not a simple answer, especially since numerous people have said they’re interested. But the Maine Democratic Party is coalescing around a key part of its plans for a selection process for Platner’s replacement.

Party officials are planning an in-person convention of about 600 people for the purpose of selecting a new Senate nominee, according to a person familiar with the planning who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to disclose details of the ongoing discussions. More details about when and where the convention will be held are forthcoming.

In a written statement, party leaders said that over 100 state committee members met Wednesday afternoon and voted to hold a nominating convention if there is a vacancy to be filled; hours later, Platner announced the end of his campaign.

The full timeline and details for how the nomination process will move forward, information about how to participate and requirements for candidates will be announced soon, Democratic leaders said.

“There is an unprecedented amount of energy and enthusiasm among Maine Democrats, driven in part by many of the dedicated volunteers and supporters who were inspired by Graham Platner’s campaign,” read the statement from party Chair Charlie Dingman, Vice Chair Imke Schessler and Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson. “We look forward to coming together and harnessing that energy around our new nominee as we work to defeat Susan Collins in November.”

WHAT’S REQUIRED?

According to Maine law, if a candidate nominated in a primary election withdraws on or before 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July — July 13 this year — a replacement candidate can be named. Platner dropping out now makes that replacement process possible. 

The Democrats have until the fourth Monday in July — July 27 this year — to fill the vacancy, according to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State.

According to the Democratic Party charter, the process for naming replacement candidates includes convening a nominating meeting assembled by a person appointed by the party chair.

The charter does not provide great detail on the process for picking a replacement but says the meeting should be run in accordance with state law and the party charter.

Earlier in the week, Murphy-Anderson said in an email to party committee members that Democrats are “committed to an open and transparent process” and were in the midst of reviewing, with an attorney, the best options for following the state process. 

“The process will be determined under consideration of what passes legal review, and what ensures a breadth of participation from Maine Democrats,” she said. 

The party criticized Platner’s campaign for trying to “put their thumb on the scale” of what the process looks like and has said his team will not play a role in determining the next nominee. 

Platner’s campaign shot back that the candidate did no such thing, and that it was the party that was poised to exclude his supporters from the replacement process.

WHO’S INTERESTED?

Several candidates who ran in Maine’s Democratic primaries for governor and Congress in June have expressed an interest in replacing Platner. 

The former gubernatorial candidates include former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, who, like Platner, was endorsed by progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont; Nirav Shah, the state’s former director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention; and Shenna Bellows, Maine’s secretary of state.

Shah earned the most first-round votes in the governor’s race but lost in the ranked-choice runoff to Hannah Pingree. Jackson came in third and Bellows in fourth in a five-way race.

Meanwhile, Jordan Wood, a former congressional staffer who finished third in the Democratic primary for the 2nd Congressional District, said he would be “humbled” if Democrats were to choose him as the replacement candidate. 

Others who have publicly expressed interest include: David Costello, a Brunswick Democrat who finished third in June’s Senate primary behind Platner and Gov. Janet Mills; Dan Kleban, a co-founder of the Maine Beer Co. who was briefly in the Senate race last fall before withdrawing to back Mills’ campaign; and Paige Loud, a social worker who finished a distant fourth in the 2nd House District primary race.

U.S. Rep Jared Golden, who is set to leave his 2nd District seat next year after four terms, said this week he has no interest in seeking the Senate seat.

Actor and activist Patrick Dempsey, a native of the Lewiston area whose name circulated this week as a potential wild-card choice, said Wednesday in a Press Herald op-ed that he, too, is not interested in running.