How will Democrats fight Trump after dumping their candidate Graham Platner in Maine?

Top Democrats are urgently searching for a new senate candidate in Maine. Graham Platner, the former marine and oyster farmer, lost his party’s support after serious allegations of rape and sexual assault, which he denies.

Winning Maine is pivotal to the Democrats’ chances of gaining back control of the Senate in this November’s midterm elections. Now the party is scrambling for alternative candidates, with questions around they type of candidate the party should choose, and how the Democrats will choose to fight Trump. Before these allegations emerged, Graham Platner was heralded as a non establishment candidate with a ‘chequered’ past who ordinary voters could relate to.

In this episode, Anthony and Sumi also discuss the wider consequences for the Democrats as they choose candidates in other states going into this November’s midterms and the presidential election in 2028.

HOSTS: • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Sumi Somaskanda, Chief Anchor, BBC News

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This episode was made by George Dabby and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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