Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, announced on Wednesday, November 8 that he was suspending his campaign operations and intended to withdraw from the ballot.
The decision followed a July 6 report by Politico detailing an allegation of sexual assault from a former girlfriend. Platner has denied the allegation, describing it as “categorically untrue” and “all false.”
Platner entered the race this past August and positioned himself as a progressive candidate running to the left of Maine Governor Janet Mills. On June 9, he comfortably won the primary contest with more than 74 percent of the vote after Mills bowed out of the race.
Following the primary, Platner faced a series of controversies, including past online posts and reports about a tattoo resembling a Nazi totenkopf symbol, which he later covered while denying prior knowledge of its associations. Additional reports involved allegations from former romantic partners regarding patterns of behavior, which he also denied.
These issues contributed to a gradual erosion of support from some quarters. The July 6 allegation from Jenny Racicot, who stated that Platner entered her home uninvited while intoxicated in late 2021 and forced her to have sex despite her objections, prompted widespread calls for his withdrawal.
Platner has maintained his innocence, though on Wednesday, he announced that he would be bowing out of the race after significant pressure to resign. “We are suspending campaign operations,” he said in an 11-minute video statement. “I want to make clear, though: I intend to file my paperwork to withdraw.”
“This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it’s an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not. We’re not doing it because of the allegations, we’re doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power,” he added.
He noted that the process to select a replacement should remain “open and democratic” and controlled by the people of Maine, and he did not immediately endorse another candidate.
My name might be on the ballot right now, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine. pic.twitter.com/RKVyLU76tm
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 9, 2026
Platner’s decision comes after a number of national and state Democratic Party leaders called on him to resign. National figures including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) publicly called for him to end his candidacy.
The Maine Democratic Party also called on Platner to resign and pushed back on the idea that he would have any say in picking a successor.
Under Maine law, the state Democratic Party has until July 27, 2026, to select a replacement nominee. The party has indicated it will hold a nominating convention for this purpose. Platner faced a July 13 deadline to withdraw to facilitate timely ballot placement.
Potential candidates discussed in connection with the vacancy include former public health official Nirav Shah, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, state Rep. Valli Geiger, and brewery owner Dan Kleban. It remains unclear whether former Gov. Janet Mills would seek the nomination again.
