Replacements for Graham Platner as Democratic senate candidate 'won't fund Israel's genocide'

Jordan Wood, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Maine's US Senate seat, has adopted the stance that the U.S. should not fund "Israel's genocide in Gaza," a shift he attributes to the previous nominee, Graham Platner. Wood initially hesitated to use the term "genocide" due to concerns about rising antisemitism, stating in November, "My husband is Jewish, and the acts of violence toward Jewish Americans is very much connected to the language that we use." However, after Platner's withdrawal due to sexual assault accusations, Wood, now running again, stated, "Graham got into this race saying, 'This is genocide,' and I learned that it is so important in these moments to draw those moral lines." Other candidates vying to replace Platner, including Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, and Shenna Bellows, have also accused Israel of genocide, reflecting a growing sentiment among Democratic voters and candidates.