Politics
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PORTLAND, Maine — Three Democratic gubernatorial candidates made their alliance with U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner official on Tuesday, escalating a coordinated effort to consolidate votes against primary leader Nirav Shah ahead of the June primary.
Former state Senate President Troy Jackson, former House Speaker Hannah Pingree and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows joined Platner on the Western Promenade. Platner, an oyster farmer from Sullivan who became the presumptive nominee when Gov. Janet Mills exited the primary last month, rallied with Jackson and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders this weekend.
Platner has said he is ranking the former Allagash lawmaker first. But both Bellows and Pingree have embraced his support in the ranked-choice race. Tuesday’s appearance made clear that his embrace of the slate was a strategy and not just a casual aside.
Bellows shrugged off a question on whether the alliance was formed to keep Shah from reaching 50% support, saying the candidates were allied for “progressive change.” Jackson said that only he, Pingree and Bellows had a track record showing “we’re not afraid to take on the billionaire class.”
“We’ve all been on the line,” Pingree said in remarks that were pointed at Shah, the former Maine public health chief. “I think it’s important for the governor to show where they stand on universal health care, more housing, the environment.”
The trio said they would cast a vote for Shah if he became the nominee against any of the seven Republicans vying for the chance to replace Mills.
“Taking on the wealthy and the powerful … it cannot be accomplished alone,” he said. “It will take labor unions who are all-in for Troy Jackson. It will take grassroots movements like Maine People’s Alliance who have proudly endorsed Shenna Bellows. And it will take community groups like the environmentalists, who are standing strong with Hannah Pingree.”
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Platner left the event before the candidates took questions from the media.
Shah, meanwhile, was in Freeport on Tuesday morning making the case that his campaign occupies different ground entirely. He called for drawing up to $70 million from Maine’s Rainy Day Fund to backfill federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, saying the changes have left 4,000 vulnerable Maine children without food assistance.
He told reporters that he has “nothing but respect” for his rivals and their service, but said his “campaign is about something different — a fresh look at solving problems.”
Shah leads the field in public and private polling, though the race behind him is exceptionally fluid. A recent Pan Atlantic Research survey showed him ahead, with the three candidates now aligned with Platner bunched together. Different public and internal polls have had Pingree, Jackson and former clean energy executive Angus King III in second place.
“He’s focused,” Shah volunteer Mel Dalheim said, making a gesture suggesting horse blinders. “He just wants to meet as many people as possible and win the primary.”
