If you skipped the first round of Maine Democrats’ replacement debates because you had literally anything else to do, you probably made the right call.
The party is scrambling to replace Graham Platner after his campaign collapsed following a rape allegation that he has denied, forcing Democrats to find a new nominee at their July 25 convention. On paper, that should have produced an energetic contest between candidates eager to seize an unexpected opportunity. Instead, viewers got two very different kinds of disappointment.
The first half of the debate was slow, stiff, and remarkably uninspiring. The second half managed to be memorable, but mostly for reasons the candidates probably would have preferred to avoid.
MODERATOR: “What qualifications do you have to serve in the U.S. Senate?”
Maine Democrat Ashley Webb: “I’m a songwriter and I write my own books.” pic.twitter.com/csMIFkmt4Q
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 17, 2026
Eight candidates took the stage across the two debate segments. According to CNN, the opening group featured Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, epidemiologist and former public health official Nirav Shah, and Jordan Wood, the former chief of staff to ex-Rep. Katie Porter, who finished third in the Democratic primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.
The second debate was described by CNN as “an undercard of sorts,” featuring four lesser-known hopefuls trying to capitalize on the abbreviated campaign. Among them was Dan Kleban, founder of Maine Beer Company, whose earlier Senate ambitions were overshadowed by Platner and establishment-backed Gov. Janet Mills.
Ironically, the undercard generated more attention than the headliners.
Maine Democrat Shenna Bellows gets called out by the moderator for giving a non-answer on funding Social Security.
MODERATOR: “You’ve gone 35 seconds and you didn’t give me any specifics.” pic.twitter.com/G7HoIk7Kuv
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 16, 2026
That is less a compliment to the second group than an indictment of the first. The leading candidates spent much of the evening agreeing with one another on familiar progressive positions while delivering answers that rarely stood out. There was little contrast, little energy, and even less evidence that anyone was prepared to fill the political vacuum left behind by Platner’s abrupt exit.
CNN’s assessment was especially blunt. None of the candidates, the network reported, demonstrated the political instincts or communication skills that allowed Platner to become a viral political phenomenon, push aside a sitting governor, and briefly poll neck-and-neck with Republican Sen. Susan Collins before his campaign unraveled. Shah’s delivery was described as one-note. Bellows appeared hesitant. Wood repeatedly looked down at his notes. Jackson frequently stopped to clear his throat before changing direction in the middle of his answers.
Bellows, who drew national attention after attempting to remove Donald Trump from Maine’s 2024 presidential ballot over the events of Jan. 6, found herself repeatedly challenged by moderators for providing lengthy answers that never fully addressed the questions.
Maine Democrat Shenna Bellows – who is running to be handpicked by the Democrat establishment not Mainers – brags about interfering with elections and protecting illegals on voter rolls. pic.twitter.com/zWucrUd88E
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 16, 2026
Much of her message centered on economic struggles and assuring voters that she understood what it was like to face financial hardship. The promise, in essence, was that she understood ordinary Mainers because she had experienced similar challenges herself. The obvious question, however, is one voters have heard from countless politicians before: what makes this promise different from all the previous ones?
She also highlighted her effort to disqualify Trump from the ballot, an issue likely to resonate with many Democratic primary voters. Whether that same message appeals to independents or swing voters who may ultimately decide the general election is another matter entirely.
Jordan Wood faced a different challenge. By emphasizing his role as Katie Porter’s former chief of staff, he also reminded voters of Porter’s unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in California, which concluded amid allegations involving staff treatment and problems within her political operation.
Maine Democrat Jordan Wood says that his former boss Katie Porter is “a household name” for her work in Congress.
Speaking of households, how is Porter’s husband doing after she dumped a pot of hot potatoes on his head? pic.twitter.com/BJszuMMGJZ
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 17, 2026
Shah, meanwhile, offered arguments that drew attention for entirely different reasons, including his assertion that efforts targeting Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro ultimately made the United States less safe.
Then there was the second debate.
Kleban clearly entered as the most recognizable figure, but he shared the stage with candidates who often struggled to distinguish themselves. Elizabeth Dickerson, for example, emphasized that she entered the race because she is “very interested in climate,” a line that did little to separate her from the rest of the field.
Maine Democrat Nirav Shah says no one in the United States is “safer” after President Trump captured indicted narcoterrorist Nicolas Maduro.
Maduro is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans. pic.twitter.com/a6FxftDgs9
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 17, 2026
Despite the differences in presentation, there was remarkable consistency across both debates. Candidate after candidate embraced many of the same policy positions: support for Medicare for All, opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sympathy toward Gaza over Israel, and broad agreement on the party’s progressive agenda. The candidates uniformly condemned Platner’s alleged conduct while largely presenting themselves as continuations of the political coalition that had elevated him before his campaign collapsed.
