Maine Senate Candidate Graham Platner Withdraws After Sexual Assault Allegation

Allegations and the Collapse of a Campaign

The decision to end his candidacy came after 41-year-old Maine resident Jenny Racicot, who dated Platner on-and-off about five years ago, publicly accused him of raping her. Racicot told Politico that Platner came to her home drunk and uninvited one night in 2021 and forced himself on her while she was on a couch. Racicot said she repeatedly told Platner to stop and remembers “him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” adding, “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” She said Platner then followed her into her bedroom and had sex with her against her will. After the story broke, she repeated her description of the incident in a CNN interview, telling the network, “this is something that I tried for many years to forget.” Politico reported that it obtained multiple messages between Racicot and others that appeared to corroborate her claims, including conversations between herself and her therapist discussing the incident.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., whose early support helped pave the way for Platner to secure the Democratic nomination, called on Platner to end his candidacy in a statement Tuesday. Sanders said he has “spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine” and “in light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”

For more on this story, see Graham Platner Faces Mounting Calls to Withdraw From Maine Senate Race.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani—whose top aides have worked on Platner’s campaign—also said Tuesday the “only appropriate response” for Platner is to end his campaign. Additionally, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., joined progressives revoking their endorsements of Platner. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., whose early support boosted Platner’s campaign, rescinded their endorsements, while the Senate Democratic campaign arm and the Maine Democratic Party both called on Platner to step aside.

Democratic Party Recruitment and Vetting Failures

As Democrats try to move beyond Platner’s campaign, the episode is likely to renew questions about the party’s recruitment and vetting of candidates. In the state of Maine, Democrats had a seasoned insider whose biggest vulnerability was her age, but instead, the party opted for a progressive newcomer who ultimately proved untested and a liability. If Platner’s replacement cannot compete with Collins, the party’s path to a Senate majority would depend on picking up at least four Republican-held seats in states including Ohio, Iowa, North Carolina, Alaska, and Texas, all of which Trump won, while holding seats in Georgia, Michigan, and New Hampshire.

This follows our earlier report, Graham Platner Faces Calls to Withdraw From Maine Senate Race by July 13.

The Political Contrast in South Carolina

While Maine Democrats face a chaotic replacement process, the Republican primary in South Carolina offers a different narrative of party unity. Sen. Lindsey Graham is seeking a fifth term in the U.S. Senate and faces five Republican challengers in the June 9 primary: Greenville businessman Mark Lynch, Horry County businessman Pat Herrmann, author Thomas Dismukes, Duncan Town Councilmember Calvin Cowen, and Columbia content creator Darius Mitchell. Graham has held his seat since January 2003 and has positioned himself as a key ally to further President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Hours after casting his vote in the primary, Graham drew a crowd of about 50 people to a “Get Out the Vote” event at Carson’s Steak Warehouse and Saloon on May 27. He said he considers his role in politics as more than that of a U.S. senator, but as someone who can further President Donald Trump’s agenda and deliver peace in the Middle East. “I’m asking you to keep me in the game,” Graham said to the crowd. “I want to stay in the game not just to be a senator, but to do something with the job that really matters.” The longtime senator boasted Trump’s early endorsement as something that sets him apart in the race. “One of the reasons I want to go back to the Senate is to help this man (Trump) change the world,” Graham said. A recent poll conducted by the Trafalgar Group showed Graham leading the Senate race with 52% of likely Republican voter support, while 28% of respondents backed Lynch’s campaign. While Graham appears to have a hold on the Republican primary, he has faced criticism from progressive organizations for his stance on U.S. foreign policy.

Read also: Graham Platner Faces Calls to End Maine Senate Bid Amid Rape Accusation.

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