Voters also headed to the polls in primary elections in Nevada, North Dakota, and South Carolina ahead of the midterms.
Veteran and oyster farmer Graham Platner addressed his supporters after his projected win in the Maine Democratic Senate primary. To those who feel let down or disappointed, he said, “it is my job to earn your trust,” and added that, if elected, he would be a “senator for the people who cannot afford to buy a senator.”
Graham Platner and Susan Collins handily won their party nominations in Tuesday’s primary, setting up a marquee race with unique dynamics and major implications for control of the Senate.
Bloomberg’s Brooke Sutherland breaks down what to expect in Maine as voters cast their ballots in today’s Primary election. She discusses whether or not Graham Platner will be the Democratic Senate nominee and how his past controversies may impact his general election bid against current Maine Senator (R) Susan Collins. Brooke speaks with Kailey Leinz and Joe Mathieu on the late edition of Bloomberg’s “Balance of Power.” (Source: Bloomberg)
NBC News projects that the state’s lieutenant governor and attorney general will face off June 23 after no candidate won more than 50% of the vote.
Incumbent Lindsey Graham, who was endorsed by President Trump, is projected to win the Republican Senate primary in South Carolina, according to DDHQ.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham is facing a tough Tuesday primary battle in South Carolina as he seeks a fourth term in office. He’s running against Mark Lynch in the GOP primary and could head to a runoff. He is still heavily favored to ultimately win the Republican nod. On the other side of the aisle,…
Graham Platner’s fiery candidacy may fit the moment, but his baggage could sink Democrats' chances of taking back the Senate.
This live blog is now closed.Graham Platner shrugs off scandals to win Maine Democratic Senate primaryTrump-backed Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson head to runoff in South Carolina GOP governor raceSign up for the Breaking News US emailThe polls have closed in Maine, and we can report that Graham Platner, the Democrat expected to win his party’s nomination for US Senate, has received at least one vote: from Stephen King, who announced on social media that he voted for the candidate.Platner’s chief competitor, Maine governor Janet Mills, had suspended her campaign citing lack of funds, but there was a late push from some out-of-state Democrats for voters to supports Mills after Platner was accused by a former romantic partner of having been physically abusive to her on two occasions between 2013 and 2015.Collins, 73, will now face off against the presumptive Democratic nominee, Graham Platner, a 41-year-old marine veteran and oysterman with no national political experience and a controversial past. Despite dredged-up racist, sexist and homophobic online posts – and a now-covered-up tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol – Platner continues to amass a rare kinetic energy that has seen hundreds of Mainers flock to town halls across the state to hear his gravelly voiced excoriation of Washington. His rise ultimately forced the state’s two-term governor, Janet Mills, to suspend her primary bid, citing dwindling financial resources.Platner’s youth and outsider profile have created a sense that Maine – a state with the oldest and whitest population in the country – may be ready for a change in political leadership. There’s a prevailing sense of “we like her, and she’s been good for Maine, but it’s time for somebody new or younger”, one former state Republican official, granted anonymity to speak candidly about the race, said of Collins. The senator’s campaign spokesperson did not respond to the Guardian’s request for comment about her performance to date. Continue reading...