Former Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Plater is slated to be the featured speaker at a Labor Day rally in Ellsworth, marking a potential first public appearance since he ended his U.S. Senate campaign.
Plater withdrew from the race in July after Politico reported that a former girlfriend accused him of sexual assault. He denied the allegation but stated he was stepping aside due to the importance of defeating incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
The event, titled "Labor Day Rally for Labor," is organized by Hancock County Activists and will take place at Ellsworth City Hall. According to a notice on the Hancock County Democrats’ website, the rally aims to kick off a series of events leading up to primaries, with musical performances and Plater speaking on the history of unions and the role of organized labor.
Marcia Myers, chair of the Hancock County Democratic Committee, confirmed that while the county Democrats posted information about the event, it is not being hosted or organized by the committee and has no affiliation with the Maine Democratic Party. Myers stated that the posting was consistent with past practices to keep the public informed.
Carol Leonard, who works with community organization group Acadia Action, a co-host of the event, said Plater spoke at a similar rally last year. Platner is not expected to discuss his withdrawn Senate campaign but will focus on the U.S. labor movement.
Following Platner's withdrawal, the state party held a special convention and nominated former state Senate President Troy Jackson to replace him on the ballot.
The Maine Republican Party criticized the Democrats' association with the event. Kristina Parker, a spokesperson for the Maine Republican Party, stated that if Plater is still considered a "heroic leader" by Maine Democrats, then the party is out of touch and that Maine voters were "disgusted" by his actions.
Plater, a 41-year-old oyster farmer and combat veteran, had based his campaign on working-class issues such as housing and healthcare costs. His campaign had previously faced other controversies, including reports of sexually explicit text messages exchanged with women while he was married and the discovery of a tattoo identified as a Nazi symbol, which he later covered.
Plater has maintained a low profile since withdrawing from the Senate race.