{"id":2627476,"date":"2026-07-09T18:17:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T22:17:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-will-replace-platner-soviet-style-in-maine-joe-concha\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T18:18:48","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T22:18:48","slug":"democrats-will-replace-platner-soviet-style-in-maine-joe-concha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-will-replace-platner-soviet-style-in-maine-joe-concha\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats will replace Platner &#8216;Soviet style&#8217; in Maine: Joe Concha"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-will-replace-platner-soviet-style-in-maine-joe-concha%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2627476&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Joe Concha of the Washington Examiner highlighted the importance of the timing behind Graham platner&#8217;s suspension from his Maine Senate campaign,suggesting it reflects a pattern within the Democratic Party of replacing scandal-afflicted candidates before elections. platner stepped down <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/la-dodgers-trevor-bauer-placed-on-administrative-leave-amid-sexual-assault-allegations\/\" title=\"LA Dodgers... Trevor Bauer Placed On Administrative Leave Amid ...\">amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-one-in-six-biden-voters-would-have-changed-their-vote-if-they-had-known-about-scandals-suppressed-by-media\/\" title=\"Poll: One In Six ... Voters Would Have Changed Their Vote If They Had Known About Scandals Suppressed By Media\">sexual assault allegations<\/a><\/a>, joining past Democratic figures like eric Swalwell and Joe Biden, whose campaigns faced setbacks due too controversies or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-democratic-governors-are-hoping-to-hear-at-tonights-meeting-with-biden-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"What Democratic governors are hoping to hear at tonight&#039;s meeting with ... - Washington Examiner\">poor debate performances<\/a>. Concha criticized the party&#8217;s decision to replace candidates through a delegate convention, likening it to forcing a child to eat something they dislike, implying it undermines democratic choice. After Platner&#8217;s withdrawal, Maine Democrats announced a new, unusual convention to select his replacement, with delegates from various counties voting to pick the nominee to face Republican Susan Collins. Concha expressed concern that this process resembles installing a candidate without public input, and he noted that Platner, like Biden and Swalwell, withdrew due to internal support loss. Several of Platner&#8217;s allies pulled endorsements following the sexual assault allegations, emphasizing the turmoil within his campaign.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Washington Examiner<\/em> columnist <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/author\/JOE-CONCHA\/\">Joe Concha<\/a> said the \u201ctimeline\u201d of when <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/graham-platner\/\">Graham Platner<\/a> suspended his Senate campaign shouldn\u2019t be ignored, highlighting a history of instances when the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Democratic-Party\/\">Democratic Party<\/a> replaced scandal-riddled candidates ahead of general elections. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Concha\u2019s comments come after Maine Democrat <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4638358\/graham-platner-suspends-maine-senate-campaign\/\">suspended his Senate campaign<\/a> following allegations of sexual assault. Concha noted that a similar situation happened with former Democratic Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Eric-Swalwell\/\">Eric Swalwell\u2019s<\/a> California gubernatorial campaign and with former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\">Joe Biden\u2019s<\/a> 2024 presidential campaign, which ended shortly after a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >disastrous presidential debate performance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4643069\/planned-parenthood-47-million-campaign-swing-races-abortion-top-midterm-focus\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Planned Parenthood\u2019s $47 million campaign in swing races aims to make abortion top midterm focus<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4643042\/democrats-fume-bernie-sanders-graham-platner-maine-senate-race\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Democrats fume at Bernie Sanders for enabling Graham Platner\u2019s rise in Maine<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4643064\/platner-supporters-votes-in-trash-democrats-pick-replacement-guy-benson\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Platner supporters\u2019 votes in the \u2018trash can\u2019 as Democrats pick his replacement: Guy Benson<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis sort of stuff, I would hope, does not sit well with Democratic voters because, again, this is the party that says over and over they only exist to save democracy,\u201d Concha said on Fox News\u2019s <em>America\u2019s Newsroom <\/em>Thursday. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSo what are they going to do again? They are going to install a candidate Soviet-style that the people have no say in whatsoever,\u201d Concha added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following Platner\u2019s dropping out of the race, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Maine\/\">Maine<\/a> Democratic Party announced it would host a first-of-its-kind convention to select Platner\u2019s replacement. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the convention, 500 delegates elected by their county committees proportionally, along with the entire 100-person state committee, will decide who will be the new Democratic nominee that will face off against Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Susan-Collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME) in November. <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Concha likened the situation to forcing a child to eat something they don\u2019t want. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThey\u2019re going to say, \u2018Here\u2019s your candidate,\u2019\u201d Concha said. \u201cAlmost like giving your kid something to eat and be like, \u2018You know what, you\u2019re going to have that because it\u2019s the only thing we\u2019re serving at this point.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4641945\/graham-platner-replacements-maine-senate-democrats\/\"><strong>WHO IS RUNNING TO REPLACE GRAHAM PLATNER?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similar to Biden and Swalwell, Platner decided to suspend his campaign after losing confidence and support within the Democratic Party. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Within hours of <em>Politico\u2019s<\/em> report of the sexual assault allegation, key Platner allies began to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4637999\/khanna-gallego-pull-platner-endorsements\/\">pull their endorsements<\/a> and call on him to drop out of the race, including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ). <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Concha highlights Dems&#8217; history of replacing scandalous candidates before elections<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3984,"featured_media":2627477,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-5hhimelzg-1783632433857-e1783633626859.jpg?1783619214&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,52093,45119,32171,82504],"class_list":["post-2627476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-joe-concha","tag-maine-politics","tag-political-commentary","tag-soviet-style-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-collage-5hhimelzg-1783632433857-e1783633626859.jpg?1783619214&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3984"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2627476"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2627480,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2627476\/revisions\/2627480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2627477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2627476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2627476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2627476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}