CNN chief national correspondent John King said Friday that many Democratic voters in Maine are eager to move beyond the controversy surrounding former Senate candidate Graham Platner, as the party begins the process of selecting a replacement nominee ahead of the general election.
Speaking with CNN anchor Dana Bash, King discussed what he has been hearing from voters after Platner announced he would withdraw from the race.
Bash noted that King had spent time in Maine last month and had continued speaking with voters there, particularly women who were already uncertain about supporting Platner before his decision to step aside.
“What are you hearing from them now that Platner has imploded?” Bash asked.
King responded that many of the voters he has spoken with no longer want to hear from the former candidate.
“First and foremost, they wish he would shut up,” King said, apologizing for his language before explaining that many voters were unhappy with Platner’s farewell video because they believed he portrayed himself as the victim.
According to King, those voters instead believe Platner is responsible for the situation and are also frustrated with the political figures and organizations that helped elevate his candidacy.
King said the frustration extends beyond Platner himself to what he described as the Bernie Sanders supporters, consultants, and labor unions that recruited him and that, in his view, continue trying to influence the race.
He noted that while those individuals may still have support among some progressives who backed Platner, many other Democratic voters are ready to move on from both the candidate and the broader political network surrounding him.
King said Democrats now face another challenge as they begin a two-week process to choose a replacement nominee, adding that the situation has left many within the party anxious.
He said Democrats had viewed Maine as their top opportunity to flip a Republican-held Senate seat during this election cycle by defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
According to King, many Democrats are concerned that internal divisions within the party could once again undermine their chances of winning the race.
To illustrate the opportunity Democrats believe exists in Maine, King pointed to recent presidential election results.
He noted that Kamala Harris carried the state by nine percentage points and that Joe Biden also won Maine by nine points in 2020, suggesting those outcomes demonstrate that Democrats are capable of winning statewide elections there.
At the same time, King emphasized that Collins has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to win despite broader Democratic success at the top of the ticket.
He reminded viewers that Collins was also on the ballot in 2020, when Biden won the state by nine points, yet she still secured reelection.
King said that history has many Democrats worried because Collins has already proven she can remain competitive even in a political environment that favors Democrats.
He argued that party leaders fear another contentious nomination battle could leave some Democratic voters discouraged after the replacement nominee is selected.
According to King, there is concern that supporters of candidates who do not ultimately win the nomination could choose not to participate in the November election.
Summing up the mood among many of the voters he has spoken with, King said Democrats in Maine have two immediate priorities: selecting a new Senate nominee and putting the controversy surrounding Platner behind them.
Bash concluded the interview by thanking King for his reporting and saying, “All right, well, we’ll see if that happens. John, thank you so much, appreciate it.”
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