Dan Kleban, founder of the Maine Beer Company, has resumed his Senate campaign, which he paused last year to back Gov. Janet Mills. On Wednesday, he began his renewed bid by criticizing GOP Sen. Susan Collins and what he describes as the “DC establishment.”
In a statement released Wednesday night, Kleban expressed satisfaction that Graham Platner had ended his campaign, emphasizing that the race should focus on Collins’ “repeated failures” to act in Maine’s best interests. He stated, “Mainers deserve a senator who will fight for them against the DC establishment while also doing what’s right. I plan to be that senator.”
Earlier that day, Kleban announced his return to the race in a post on Substack, shortly before Platner declared in a video that he was suspending his campaign. In a CNN interview, Kleban mentioned he would not accept Platner’s endorsement even if it were offered.
Kleban criticized the Maine Democratic Party’s expedited nominating process to replace Platner, describing it as “not a perfect proxy for a full primary.” He insisted that Maine voters deserve a transparent process free from external influences from D.C. or New York.
Positioning himself as the candidate to advance Platner’s movement, Kleban echoed Platner’s sentiments about a system “rigged against working-class folks.” He also declared he would not support Chuck Schumer as Senate Democratic leader.
However, Kleban distanced himself from Platner’s views on Israel. When questioned by CNN about the war in Gaza, he refrained from labeling it as “genocide,” instead referring to it as an “absolute tragedy” and suggested he would impose conditions on arms sales to Israel.
