Democrats pull support from Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner after sexual assault allegation
Several Democrats and former endorsers are urging Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner to drop out of the race after a former partner accused Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021.
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Top Democrats and the Maine Democratic Party are urging Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner to withdraw from the race, and several former supporters are pulling their endorsements after a former girlfriend accused Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021.
Platner, who is running against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in Maine’s November Senate race, denied the allegation in a July 6 video statement, calling it “categorically false” and politically motivated. As Zeale News previously reported, he said his campaign was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”
The allegation triggered a wave of Democratic calls for Platner to exit the race before a July 13 deadline that would allow the party to replace him on the ballot. Under Maine law, Democrats would then have until July 27 to name a replacement candidate.
“Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a joint statement.
Schumer and Gillibrand added that the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm would not spend money on the Maine Senate race if Platner remains the nominee.
The Maine Democratic Party also urged Platner to leave the race. Party Chair Charlie Dingman, Vice Chair Imke Schessler and Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a joint statement that the Senate race “comes at a pivotal moment in the struggle against” a government “supported by Senator Collins” that “serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary Maine people.”
“It is essential that we refocus this campaign on that struggle,” the Democratic leaders said.
According to AP News, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) sent a fundraising email for Senate races hours after the allegation surfaced, but the email did not include Maine. DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement reported by Politico that it was “time for [Platner] to end his campaign.”
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who had continued to support Platner through earlier controversies in his campaign, said the latest allegation crossed a line and withdrew his endorsement.
“I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna said. “These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., also withdrew their endorsements. A string of other Democratic senators also joined calls for Platner to exit the race, including Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, Mark Kelly of Arizona, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Adam Schiff of California.
Collins responded briefly to the allegation, calling it “appalling” but adding that it is “not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate,” AP News reported.
Politico first reported the allegation July 6, citing three interviews over the past two weeks with Jenny Racicot, 41, who said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years. Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home uninvited one night in 2021 while deeply intoxicated and forced himself on her as she repeatedly told him to stop.
Platner’s campaign had already weathered several controversies before his June 9 win in the Democratic primary, as Zeale News previously reported. According to reports, several of his former girlfriends described him as emotionally abusive and physically intimidating, that he exchanged sexually explicit text messages with women while married, and that he used past Reddit posts to minimize military sexual assault and use homophobic slurs. He has also faced criticism over a tattoo identified as a Nazi symbol.
The Catholic League also issued an alert to Christians ahead of the primary over what it called Platner’s “troubling” and “obscene” remarks about Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Catholic League President Bill Donohue said Platner called Christ a “zombie” and the Virgin Mother a “skank.”
Platner, who won the primary after Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills suspended active campaigning, had been backed by several prominent progressives, including Warren, Khanna, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Our Revolution, the organization Sanders founded to advance the goals of his 2016 presidential campaign, said it is withdrawing its endorsement. Sanders has not publicly commented on the allegation.
