If Platner’s replacement can’t compete with Collins, Democrats’ path to a Senate majority would depend on picking up at least four Republican-held seats in states including Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina, Alaska, and Texas, all of which Trump won, while holding seats in Georgia, Michigan, and New Hampshire.
As Democrats try to move beyond Platner’s campaign, the episode is likely to renew questions about the party’s recruitment and vetting of candidates. In Mills, Democrats had a seasoned insider whose biggest vulnerability was her age. Instead, the party opted for a progressive newcomer who ultimately proved untested and a liability.