Key facts
- Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is not intervening in Maine's Democratic Senate primary.
- Schumer and DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand previously called for Maine Democrats to select a new candidate.
- Several Maine candidates have not seen or heard evidence of intervention from Schumer or DSCC.
- Schumer's stance is consistent with his approach when questions arose about a candidate's background.
- Progressive senators who had backed a previous candidate are also withholding endorsements.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has opted to remain on the sidelines of the contentious Maine Democratic Senate primary, a decision that comes as the party's control of the Senate hangs in the balance. Schumer and DSCC Chair Kirsten Gillibrand had previously stated that Maine Democrats should have the opportunity to select a new candidate capable of defeating Republican Senator Susan Collins. Following the withdrawal of an initial candidate, Schumer reiterated the party's goal to defeat Collins and regain the Senate majority, while refraining from direct intervention in the renomination process.
Sources close to several Maine candidates, including Nirav Shah and Shanna Bellows, indicated they had not received outreach from Schumer or the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). Similarly, a person close to businessman Dan Kleban reported no awareness of any such engagement. Despite his distance from the primary's internal workings, Schumer remains a focal point, with some contenders being questioned about his leadership. Kleban, for instance, publicly stated he would not vote for Schumer as leader.
Schumer's detachment from the primary is mirrored by several progressive senators within his caucus. Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Martin Heinrich, and Sheldon Whitehouse, who had previously supported a candidate now facing scrutiny, have also indicated they do not plan to endorse anyone before the upcoming convention. These senators had initially defended the candidate amidst damaging revelations but later called for him to withdraw following a POLITICO report. Senator Heinrich commented that Maine Democrats are best positioned to determine who should carry the mantle.