Graham Platner ends Maine Senate campaign after sexual assault allegation

Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Maine, is suspending his campaign following a sexual assault allegation. In an 11-minute video posted to social media on Wednesday evening, Platner said, "For the movement to continue, it can’t be me," adding that campaign operations would be suspended.

In the video, Platner maintained that the accusation is "not remotely true" and driven by "large forces working against [him] personally." He claimed the allegations were false and criticized what he described as a rush to judgment by the media and political establishment before he had a chance to respond.

The allegation comes from Jenny Racicot, 41, who told Politico that near the end of 2021, an intoxicated Platner entered her home uninvited and forced her to have sex despite repeated objections. Racicot said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years and cut off contact after the incident.

Platner had denied the allegations in a previous video on Monday, calling them categorically false. However, after the report, prominent Democrats, including Senate leader Chuck Schumer, called on him to drop out. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it would not spend money on the Maine race unless Platner withdrew.

Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine veteran, had built his campaign on an anti-oligarchy, populist platform, raising millions and gaining enough momentum to force Governor Janet Mills to suspend her primary bid. However, his campaign was repeatedly rocked by scandals, including racist, sexist and homophobic Reddit posts, a Nazi-like tattoo, sexually explicit texts, and allegations of abusive behavior. Platner denied all previous allegations, calling them politically motivated.

Several high-profile senators, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Martin Heinrich, had endorsed Platner but rescinded their support after the latest allegations. Platner's withdrawal opens a tight window until July 27 for Democrats to select a replacement candidate under Maine law.