If Scandal SINKS Graham Platner… Democrats Have A BACKUP Option | Chuck Todd Politics Podcast

Chuck Todd offers a fascinating analysis of the Graham Platner situation in Maine, where Janet Mills' decision to leave her name on the ballot has created a Nikki Haley-style protest vote opportunity for nervous Democrats — Mills didn't bow out in disgrace so her floor is high, and if she pulls 25% or more in the primary, Chuck predicts very real conversations about replacing Platner will begin. The number to watch is ME-02: if Platner underperforms there, it's the clearest red flag that a candidate Democrats once viewed as a slam-dunk pickup is now in serious trouble. Timeline: 00:00 Graham Platner visit to D.C. went ok, but there’s trepidation 02:15 Platner wants to drive the narrative he’s still ahead of Collins 03:15 Polling has shown Platner with a massive lead over Collins for weeks 05:00 Platner’s recent scandals have him in trouble, can’t take much more 06:15 New polling shows Platner took a hit, but it’s recoverable 06:45 Janet Mills chose to keep her name on the ballot for uneasy Dems 07:45 Maine is one of the easier states to replace a candidate 09:15 How votes for Mills should be read 11:00 Mills didn’t bow out in disgrace, her floor is higher 12:15 Mills could become a protest vote for Platner, similar to Nikki Haley 13:45 If Maine voters are nervous about Platner, they can vote for Mills 15:45 If Mills gets 25% or more, then there will be talks of replacing Platner 18:00 If Platner underperforms in ME-02, that’s a red flag Visit our website: https://thechucktoddcast.com/ Follow us on social media: https://x.com/chucktodd   / thechucktoddcast     / chucktodd     / thechucktoddcast   #politics #news #election2026 #election #maine #senate