Graham Platner looks to unite Maine Democrats as their ‘presumptive’ Senate nominee

Maine Democratic Party convention-goers were relieved to focus on the general election, but some had mixed feelings about their prospects against GOP Sen. Susan Collins.

PORTLAND, Maine — Before Graham Platner dove into the meat of his speech at the Maine Democratic Party Convention on Saturday night, where he said it is “very odd but deeply humbling” to be the “presumptive nominee” for Senate, he first thanked his former opponent, Gov. Janet Mills.

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A smattering of party delegates rose to their feet and applauded.

Add NBC News to Google‘Jarring disconnect’: Maine voters at odds with Democratic leadership in high-stakes Senate primary08:30Jens Dill was one of them. A 72-year-old retired software engineer from Winthrop, he had long been behind Platner in the primary ahead of a tough race against GOP Sen. Susan Collins. But Dill still wanted to acknowledge Mills’ run.