Maine Democrats began formally launching bids Thursday to replace Graham Platner on the Senate ballot after his withdrawal over a sexual assault allegation left the party without a nominee.
July 27 is the state-law deadline to name a replacement, and the party says a nominating convention of hundreds of delegates will choose the candidate, though the timing and format remain unsettled.
Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, Dan Kleban, Jordan Wood and Paige Loud have announced or confirmed campaigns, while Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and state lawmaker Valli Geiger have signaled interest.
Whoever wins the nomination will have less than four months to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a race seen as pivotal to control of the narrowly divided Senate.