Sexual assault allegations upend Maine Democratic Senate race as backers flee

Graham Platner's path to the Democratic nomination in Maine looked clear in April. The first-time candidate, pitching himself as a blue-collar oysterman and Marine veteran, had won the primary decisively, riding into a political void left by more cautious Democrats who'd decided not to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins. But by early July, his campaign was collapsing in real time.

On Monday, Politico published an account from Jenny Racicot, a Maine woman who said Platner had entered her home in 2021 while drunk and forced her to have sex after she told him to stop. The two had been in an on-and-off relationship at the time. After that night, Racicot cut off contact and told him the encounter was not consensual. Platner issued a video statement denying the allegation entirely, calling it "categorically false," but he also cancelled scheduled town halls and said he was weighing his next steps. "Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we're taking the time to reflect on the best path forward," he said.

What followed was a swift exodus of support. Representative Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who had stood by Platner through earlier controversies, announced he was withdrawing his endorsement. "I've been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line," Khanna said. Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego did the same. So did End Citizens United, a Democratic-aligned political group. Hasan Piker, a leftist commentator and streamer who had been among Platner's most vocal backers, reversed course during a Twitch livestream, calling the allegations "a clear-cut instance of verifiable sexual assault allegations. It's completely irredeemable."

Maine's Democratic Party leadership moved faster still. Charlie Dingman, the party chair, along with vice-chair Imke Schessler and executive director Devon Murphy-Anderson, issued a joint statement calling on Platner to withdraw. They acknowledged that multiple women had made serious allegations against him in recent weeks, and that Monday's report deepened those concerns. Yet their statement pivoted quickly to the larger stakes: this Senate race was critical, they argued, and the party needed to refocus on the real fight—ousting Collins and the Republican agenda she represented.

That urgency reflected the political math. Maine Democrats have long viewed Collins's seat as winnable, despite her ability to hold on in a state that votes Democratic at the presidential level. After Collins's commanding 2020 victory, several potential challengers had stepped aside, leaving the field open. Governor Janet Mills, 77, had been the establishment's preferred candidate but declined to run. Platner filled the vacuum, and his primary victory seemed to settle the question—until the controversies began to mount. Revelations emerged about a Nazi-symbol tattoo on his chest and inflammatory social media posts. Reports surfaced that he had sexted with other women shortly after getting married. Some Democrats, including Mills herself, had refused to back him even after he won the primary.

Now, with Platner's viability in question, chatter had already begun about replacements. Former state senator and logger Troy Jackson and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows were being discussed as possible alternatives. Marie Follayttar, a Democratic community organizer in Maine, said she'd seen this coming. "I've known this has been coming," she said.

Under Maine state law, Platner could be replaced on the ballot if he withdrew by July 13. Any replacement candidate would need to be named by July 27. For Democrats, the timing was tight but workable. The race itself remained critical to their broader Senate strategy—they needed to win a handful of Republican seats while holding all their own if they hoped to take control of the chamber. Losing Maine was not an option they could afford.