Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, suspended his campaign on Wednesday after facing mounting pressure following sexual assault allegations, clearing the way for the state’s Democratic Party to select a replacement to face Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
Platner, an oyster farmer and military veteran, announced his withdrawal in a video statement, saying he was stepping aside because “for the movement to continue, it can’t be me.” The decision came days before a July 27 deadline for Maine Democrats to name a new candidate, according to NBC News.
The campaign’s collapse followed two separate sets of allegations. Jenny Racicot, a Maine resident, told Politico and CNN that Platner forced her to have sex with him in late 2021 despite her repeated objections. According to Politico, Racicot said Platner entered her home uninvited while deeply intoxicated and assaulted her after she repeatedly told him to stop. Platner denied the allegations, stating through his campaign that “any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”
A second woman, Lyndsey Fifield, alleged to the Washington Post that Platner repeatedly removed condoms without her consent during sex. The Post reported that Fifield described Platner as “stealthily” removing protection she had asked him to wear. Platner’s campaign called that allegation “categorically false and politically motivated,” according to the Post.
Platner’s campaign had been marked by repeated controversies even before the assault allegations emerged. The Guardian reported that the candidate, who easily won the Democratic primary in June with 72 percent of the vote, had faced scrutiny over offensive online comments and a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which he covered up last fall and said he did not understand at the time. NPR noted that his campaign had been “marked by repeated scandals” before the allegations brought it to an end.
National Democratic leaders and prominent party figures swiftly abandoned Platner after the allegations surfaced. The Cook Political Report indicated that national Democrats had given him an ultimatum: they would not invest in the Maine race if he remained the nominee. Multiple Democratic senators and organizations called on him to withdraw, citing the seriousness of the allegations.
Platner’s exit throws into uncertainty what Democrats had viewed as a must-win race. The Maine Senate seat is seen as critical to control of the chamber, and Collins, the Republican incumbent, had been considered vulnerable. Democrats now have less than three weeks to unite behind a replacement candidate and mount a general election campaign.
Sources
- Politico — reported Racicot’s sexual assault allegation with detailed account of the alleged incident in late 2021
- NBC News — confirmed Platner’s withdrawal and the July 27 deadline for replacement selection
- CNN — conducted interviews with both Racicot and Fifield about their allegations
- The Washington Post — reported Fifield’s allegation about condom removal without consent
- The Guardian — documented Platner’s previous controversies and described his primary victory
- NPR — characterized the campaign as marked by repeated scandals
- Cook Political Report — reported that national Democrats gave Platner an ultimatum regarding continued support
