Graham Platner, the Democratic Party nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, is reportedly weighing whether to drop out of the race after he was accused of sexual assault in a bombshell report. Platner has lost dozens of prominent endorsements over the last 24 hours, and has stated that he is weighing options before deciding how to proceed.
Platner, who easily secured the nomination last month after a brief primary struggle with Governor Janet Mills, is facing a number of serious allegations following a report from Politico, which cited allegations from Jenny Racicot, a Maine woman who previously dated Platner.
According to the report, Racicot stated that in late 2021, that Platner entered her home without authorization while intoxicated and forced her to have sex despite her repeated objections. Platner has denied the allegations, though the report has thrown his campaign into disarray. “These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue,” he said.
His campaign also issued a statement asserting that the claims were “very serious” but that Platner “vigorously denies them” and describing them as “coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives.” The campaign noted that opponents had previously accused Platner of being “a Nazi, a war criminal, and a communist.”
Platner additionally released a video statement on social media, in which he stated that, “regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to and the goal of defeating Susan Collins. Those were the goals we launched this campaign and they remain my goals today. Throughout it all, you never turned your back on me and I will not turn my back on you now. Everyone of you deserves to see that vision come to fruition and see Susan Collins defeated and we will use every tool at our disposal to do so.”
The allegation followed earlier controversies involving Platner’s campaign. These included reports about a tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, which he stated he had not recognized as such; descriptions from some former romantic partners of his behavior during periods of heavy drinking and self-medication, which he described as making him “a far from perfect boyfriend” during a “very dark period”; and resurfaced deleted Reddit posts in which he commented on sexual assault victims taking responsibility for their actions in certain situations.
Following the Politico report, Platner experienced a rapid withdrawal of support from Democratic Party elected officials, organizations, and party infrastructure. Dozens of endorsements were rescinded or calls were made for him to exit the race.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) urged Platner to “immediately” end his campaign, while thehe Democratic Party Senatorial Campaign Committee stated it “will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.”
Other Senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), also called on him to withdraw from the race, as did a number of longtime backers like Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).
The Maine Democratic Party also responded to the allegations in an official statement. “Maine Democratic Party leadership takes seriously our responsibility to hold every candidate who seeks to represent our state to the highest standard. Over the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner. Today’s statements take those allegations even further,” the statement read.
“Maine Democratic Party leadership is calling on Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.”
Under Maine election law, a primary nominee may withdraw by 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July (July 13, 2026, in this cycle) to allow the party to select a replacement nominee. If withdrawal occurs by that deadline, the Maine Democratic Party has until 5 p.m. on the fourth Monday in July (July 27, 2026) to name a new candidate for the general election ballot.
Platner has not yet issued a definitive statement on his candidacy as of this report.
