Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban joined a growing number of Maine Democrats and announced his plan on Wednesday to run to replace Graham Platner as the party’s Senate nominee.
Kleban previously ran an extremely short-lived primary campaign that began in September and ended on October 14, when Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) announced her candidacy and he endorsed her.
[RELATED: Platner Withdraws from Senate Race, Leaving Door Open for New Candidate to Step In…]
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the countless calls from Mainers encouraging me to consider this race. I love Maine and everything it has given me. This is where I started and grew a successful business focused on doing what’s right for workers and our community. It’s where my wife of 22 years and I have raised our teenage twins. And after talking with them, I’m in,” said Kleban in his announcement on Wednesday.
“We’re all sick and tired of a system that’s been rigged by corporate interests, and we’ve had enough meddling from Washington establishment insiders and New York City consultants trying to dictate who represents us. It’s time for a new generation of leadership in Washington, one that’s not beholden to the establishment that has failed us time and again,” he added.
Kleban’s announcement came a few hours before Platner announced his withdrawal from the race.
He complained that the race has focused too much on other things and not enough on Sen. Susan Collins.
“For too long, this race has been about everything but Susan Collins’s repeated failures to do what’s right for Maine. That’s unacceptable when Mainers are literally paying the price for her destructive leadership. Gas and groceries are out of control while Collins supports Donald Trump’s economy. She voted to confirm the judges who overturned the legal right to abortion. We deserve a Senator who will fight for us, not one who enables Trump at every turn,” said Kleban.
Before his announcement, he called for Platner’s resignation, saying that the rape allegation against him should be disqualifying.
“The sexual assault allegations against Graham Platner are horrifying and completely disqualifying. There is absolutely no room for violence or abuse in our politics or our society,” he said.
Though running on some policies similar to Platner’s, such as fighting corporations and political insiders, and pushing for taxpayer-funded universal healthcare, Kleban supported Gov. Mills over him in the primary.
Unlike many of the other candidates vying for Platner’s vacant position, Kleban has never endorsed the accused rapist, and is thus not tainted by having supported an alleged sexual predator.
However, his separation from Platner could put off the more socialist and populist wing of the party that propelled Platner to stardom.
The Maine Democrats are set to select Platner’s replacement at a convention, where the replacement will be chosen by a group of approximately 600 party insiders.
My first choice for replacing port-potty Platner would be Lewiston’s frumpy mayor, Carl Sheline.
i thought the maine beer company slogan was “do the right thing”….