The Republican Party is planning to spend $8 million in negative ads on whoever the Democrats decide should replace embattled Senate candidate Graham Platner should he end up dropping out of Maine's Senate race.
Platner, 41, has faced growing calls to drop out of the race after Jenny Racicot, a woman he had dated, said that he entered her home uninvited in 2021 and sexually assaulted her. Platner has denied the allegation, calling it politically motivated.
Regardless, Platner has seen supporters desert him, including the Maine Democratic Party and prominent members of the party at the national level.
Although Platner has not yet dropped out and Democrats don't know who they would replace him with should he do, Republicans are already moving on and preparing to go on the offense against his potential replacement, Axios reported.
Axios reported that Pine Tree Results, the super PAC backing incumbent Republican Susan Collins, raised $10.5 million during the first half of the year. The website reported that the group pulled its anti-Platner ads on Tuesday and plans to use the $8 million it has left to go after and define whoever the Democrats choose to replace Platner.
Although the Republican Party appears ready to move on, the website reported that Platner has yet to make a decision, despite losing the support of local and national Democratic Party leaders.
"Graham still has to make the decision to leave the ballot. And folks are pretending that he has. And he has not," a person familiar with the campaign's internal discussions told Axios. "[It's] very clear that he cares about the movement more than the party."
The race in Maine is considered crucial for a Democratic Party hoping to secure a Senate majority as Republican incumbent Susan Collins is viewed as vulnerable. Republicans currently have a 53-47 advantage. To win a majority, Democrats need to hold all of their seats and flip four this November.
