SCARBOROUGH, Maine– Democrat Graham Platner has so far said nothing about whether he will drop out of the Maine Senate race after an ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault.

Platner, who denies the allegation, has faced considerable pressure from his own party to drop out of the race. The first-time candidate has also been accused of trying to influence the way his replacement is selected, a claim he also denies.

The questions surrounding Platner have left a crucial U.S. Senate race unresolved just months before the November midterm elections. The Maine Democratic Party, which by law is responsible for appointing a replacement, has not said how it plans to proceed in selecting a potential successor. Meanwhile, potential contenders have already begun to pique their interest.

Here’s what we know about the Maine Senate race and what could be next:

Under Maine law, there is limited provision for replacing general election candidates. Platner would have to voluntarily step aside by 5 pm on July 13 before any other contenders could be considered. So far, Platner has only committed to pausing his campaign.

If he drops out of the race, the law says the Maine Democratic Party has the authority to choose a replacement, which must be done by July 27.

However, it is still unknown what that process would look like. It could come down to a state committee vote, a caucus or even some type of state political convention.

It’s incredibly rare for a general election candidate to drop out of a race, in Maine or elsewhere, which means party officials are scrambling to complete a plan when Platner announces he’s dropping out.

The Maine Democratic Party said Tuesday it will make the process public as soon as Platner officially retires.

A key question surrounding whether and how Platner is replaced comes down to how much influence the oyster farmer and Navy veteran has in this situation.

On Tuesday, Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson issued a statement accusing Platner’s campaign of repeatedly trying to “put its thumb on the scale” to determine the next Democratic nominee.

“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the United States Senate, nor in determining what this process will look like,” he said.

Platner’s team responded with a statement saying that “at no time has the campaign attempted to ‘put its finger on the scale,'” but rather is trying to understand the process. Thousands of Maine residents voted and volunteered for Platner, a progressive who outlasted establishment-backed Gov. Janet Mills, whom the campaign believes should count in the decision.

One possible contender, Nirav Shah, former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has said he was “evaluating” whether to join the race. Shah said he has been in contact with the Maine Democratic Party to ensure a potential replacement process is based on “openness, transparency and robustness.”

Another possible replacement is Troy Jackson, former president of the Maine state Senate, who ran unsuccessfully to be the Democratic nominee for governor earlier this year with the backing of Platner and Our Revolution, the political organization started by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Jackson filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday to launch a Senate exploratory committee.

Jordan Wood, a former U.S. Senate candidate who later ran for Maine’s 2nd District and lost, posted Tuesday that he was “continuing conversations” with voters about possibly joining the race.

Other names circulating include Shenna Bellows, the current Maine Secretary of State; Dan Kleban, founder of Maine Beer Co.; and Hannah Pingree, now the Democratic candidate for governor of Maine.

Platner’s campaign galvanized hundreds of volunteers across the state. This week, they have been expressing disappointment at the behavior Platner is accused of and reflecting on the right course of action.

Many have asked him to retire.

Paul Attardo, 64, of Scarborough, said he can no longer support Platner after the indictment, although he still has a sign promoting the candidate at the end of his driveway. He called the accusation “disappointing” as well as “unquestionably sincere,” and said the party needs to get to work finding a replacement.

The scenario reminded Attardo of Joe Biden’s hasty replacement during the 2024 election campaign.

“We rallied behind someone, and not unlike the Biden administration, when everyone rallied behind Joe Biden, at the last minute he failed,” he said. “I feel like we’re in a similar boat.”

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Kruesi reported from Providence, RI