Not everyone inside Democratic circles believes Platner should have any influence over that decision.
“This vibes to me like a play from Bernie Sanders to slide in Troy Jackson,” another source said.
Another Democratic insider ridiculed the notion that Platner could help determine his successor, arguing that he apparently “assumes whoever might replace [him] would want a rapist’s endorsement.”
The controversy erupted after former girlfriend Jenny Racicot publicly accused Platner of sexual assault earlier this week. Platner has categorically denied the allegations, but the accusations immediately triggered calls from Maine Democratic leaders for him to abandon his Senate campaign.
Despite that growing pressure, one source claimed Platner’s advisers have continued encouraging him to fight on.
“His team is delusional,” the source said, adding that Katz had urged Platner to remain in the race.
Katz, 27, works for Fight Agency, a Democratic political consulting firm known for helping progressive candidates win office. The firm has worked with several high-profile left-wing campaigns, including that of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
One Democratic source suggested Katz sees himself as an emerging political mastermind.
“He wants to be the next David Axelrod … and Mamdani is his Obama,” a third Democratic source said of Katz. “But obviously Mamdani can’t be the president, so he’s trying to find this white, working-class caricature to take up that mantle.”
According to the report, Katz traveled to Maine on Tuesday as party leaders continued private discussions over possible replacement candidates. His trip reportedly came after Mamdani publicly urged Platner “to drop out of the race.”
Representatives for Platner’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment regarding the reported negotiations.
Meanwhile, the Maine Democratic Party has intensified its public campaign to push Platner out of the race. Party officials called on him to withdraw Monday after announcing that “multiple women have made serious, credible allegations.”
The following day, party leaders released a video reaffirming that position while accusing Platner’s campaign of attempting to “put their thumb on the scale” of the replacement process.
Behind the scenes, attention has increasingly shifted toward Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has been Platner’s most prominent national supporter. According to reports, Sanders is backing former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson as the preferred replacement nominee if Platner ultimately exits the race.
Jackson, a former logger, previously appeared alongside Sanders and Platner during a “Fight the Oligarchy” rally held in May. He also recently finished third in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Both Jackson and Platner have embraced many of the same progressive priorities. Each has supported higher taxes on billionaires and backed a “Medicare for All” single-payer healthcare system.
Platner has also drawn national attention for his outspoken foreign policy positions. He has repeatedly criticized U.S. support for Israel, describing it as “shameful” while accusing Israel of committing “genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The internal Democratic battle was first detailed by The New York Times, highlighting how rapidly the race has deteriorated after once being viewed as one of Democrats’ strongest opportunities to flip a Republican-held Senate seat.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville argued that despite public pressure, national Democratic leaders have little authority to force Platner from the ballot.
“How can they? They don’t have any control,” Carville told The Post.
He pointed to the experience of former Colorado Sen. Michael Bennett as evidence that party leaders cannot simply dictate the outcome of contested races.
“If you look at what happened to my dear friend Michael Bennett,” Carville said, referring to the former moderate Democratic senator and Colorado gubernatorial candidate, “the idea that there’s some controlling entity in the Democratic Party — there’s a council of elders — it’s just absurd.”
Carville also rejected claims that the controversy represents a failure of the Democratic Party itself.
“It’s not a failure of the Democratic Party. … The party’s being challenged,” he added. “If there’s any fault with the lack of vetting, it would be with Platner’s own campaign.”
With the July 13 withdrawal deadline rapidly approaching, Democrats now face mounting uncertainty over whether Platner will step aside voluntarily or force the party into an even deeper political showdown. The outcome could dramatically reshape Maine’s Senate race and complicate Democratic hopes of unseating Collins in one of the nation’s most closely watched contests.
