Maine Democratic Party leaders called on Graham Platner to drop his U.S. Senate bid on Monday hours after new allegations surfaced that he sexually assaulted a woman he was dating five years ago.
Platner is strongly denying the latest accusations but said in a video that the campaign was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" in a race that both national parties regard as key to control of the Senate. Calls from local and national Democrats for him to leave the race quickly followed, marking a dramatic turn for a populist campaign that had weathered previous controversies but now finds itself losing allies fast.
The revelations also come one week before the statutory deadline for Platner to withdraw while still being able to replaced on the November ballot.
The report by POLITICO includes details from Jenny Racicot, a Maine woman who alleged that Platner forced her to have sex with him after entering her home in 2021. According to POLITICO, Racicot said the two had dated off and on for two years but that Platner entered her home uninvited that night while he was intoxicated and then forced himself on her despite her repeated attempts to refuse him.
In a video statement released shortly after the story was published Monday, Platner said the allegations are false and part of an attempt to knock him out of the race. But he also says the campaign is assessing the damage the story may have on his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.
"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," he said.
The report comes just one week before the deadline that allows Platner to drop out of the race and be replaced on the November ballot. If that happens, the Maine Democratic Party would chose the replacement, setting the stage for a potentially fierce internal debate over who should be put forward.
Maine Democratic Party leaders called on Platner to resign on Monday evening. In a joint statement, chairman Charlie Dingman and vice chair Imke Schessler called on Platner to exit the race.
"The Maine Democratic Party leadership stands with women and survivors, and that principle does not bend based on party affiliation. We respect the women who made the hard decision to come forward. Speaking up is often costly," they wrote. "We are entrusted with deciding who represents our values and who carries our banner. That responsibility requires judgment, leadership, and a willingness to act when circumstances demand it."
They added, "This 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."
That sentiment was echoed by BJ McCollister, who is one of Maine's two elected members of the Democratic National Committee. In an interview, McCollister said he knows many Democrats who are seriously concerned about the allegations that Platner forced himself on his former romantic partner.
"My immediate reaction is that Graham Platner needs to drop out of this race," said McCollister, a political consultant and lobbyist. "These new details that came out today are deeply troubling and I don't think he should be in this race any longer. And thankfully there is still time to make a change. And in order to do so, he has to drop out."
Racicot originally appeared in a New York Times story that chronicled Platner's past relationships with women he dated. She did not make the assault allegation in that story, but described his behavior as sometimes "reckless" and "unsettling." She told POLITICO she later felt obligated to go public because the Times story focused on Platner's relationship with another woman, Lyndsey Fifield, a Republican activist.
Racicot could not immediately be reached for comment.
In a Maine Public interview after the Times story, Platner denied allegations that he was physically abusive or that he had sexually assaulted any of his previous partners. He was also adamant that the controversies that have followed him during the campaign would not force him to drop out of the race.
"I don't think it's going to do anything serious," he said in early June. "And I think, and the reason is, is that the whole point of these stories is to make sure we're not talking about healthcare, it's to make sure we're not talking about raising taxes on the rich, it's to make sure we're not talking about getting money out of politics. That's the purpose."
While adamant that the allegations in the POLITICO story are false, he struck a different tone on Monday about the prospects of his candidacy. His campaign postponed several events scheduled to occur over the July 4 weekend and on Monday. Calls for him to drop out of the race quickly followed publication of the story.
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who held a rally with Platner shortly before the primary, rescinded his endorsement and called on him to drop out of the race.
"I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible," he posted on social media.
In a statement, the Senate Majority PAC, part of the campaign arm for Senate Democrats, announced that it will not invest in the Maine race if Platner is still on the ballot.
"Senate Majority PAC is redirecting resources away from the Maine Senate race in light of the latest allegations against Graham Platner," the group said in a statement. "We continue to believe this seat is winnable if Platner is not on the ballot, but we cannot strategically continue to invest here when there is an expansive battleground map where these resources can help win a Democratic majority."
Platner's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Platner won the on June 9 with more votes than any Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in state history. The combat veteran and oyster farmer skyrocketed from political obscurity last summer, using social media and a viral launch video to enter the race ahead of Gov. Janet Mills. His prolific circuit of town halls were heavily attended and he built a loyal following even after the first wave of controversies hit his campaign.
The controversies continued to accumulate the week before the primary as Republican and some Democratic activists framed him as a flawed and unqualified candidate. His campaign was also part of a larger factional battle within the Democratic Party as it grappled with sweeping losses in 2024 to Republicans and President Donald Trump.
Platner was recruited by progressive activists seeking pugilistic candidates that embrace Medicare for all and a platform resembling that of Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. Sanders, who endorsed Platner quickly after he launched his campaign, has been a frequent critic of the Democratic establishment.
The battle within the party often manifested itself during Platner's campaign. He drew endorsements from progressive firebrands, but centrist Democrats have been skeptical. Mills, who suspended her campaign in late April, did not mention him when he secured the nomination and has not endorsed him. Some of her supporters have vowed not to vote for him in November.
According to Maine law, a candidate who wins a party nomination must submit a formal withdrawal notice to the Maine Secretary of State by 5 p.m. July 13.
Parties can name replacement candidates, but must do so by July 27.
