At an event in Freeport, Dr. Nirav Shah announced his campaign for the Democratic nominee in Maine's U.S. Senate race. Dr. Shah's announcement came less than 24 hours after Democratic nominee Graham Platner (D-ME), an oyster farmer, dropped out of the race due to sexual assault allegations made against him, which Platner denied. During his remarks, Dr. Shah said he was dedicated to defeating opponent Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) in the upcoming general election and assured supporters he was "ready to lead this state forward." He also compared himself to Platner, saying there was "very little light" between them. The Maine Democratic Party would hold a special one-day nominating convention on July 25 to choose a replacement for Platner.