Sen. Bernie Sanders called on Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner to withdraw from the race on Tuesday after a woman accused him of sexual assault, becoming the highest-profile backer to withdraw support from the embattled nominee.
“I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders, an independent senator from Vermont, said in a statement. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”
Platner, a 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer, had been one of Sanders’ earliest and most influential endorsements. Sanders had championed Platner’s insurgent campaign through a “Fighting Oligarchy” tour in May 2026, helping propel the political newcomer to win the Democratic primary by the largest margin in state history.
The sexual assault allegation came from Jenny Racicot, 41, who told Politico on July 6 that Platner forced her to have sex with him in late 2021 despite her repeated objections. Racicot said Platner entered her rural Maine home uninvited one night while heavily intoxicated and assaulted her. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” she said. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.'” Platner denied the allegation, saying “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”
On July 7, the Washington Post reported that another ex-girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, alleged Platner removed condoms without her consent during sex on at least six occasions. Fifield said she had warned Platner repeatedly that she needed him to use protection because she was not on birth control, but alleged he would “pull condoms off” in a “sneaky way” without telling her. Platner’s campaign denied these allegations as well.
Sanders’ call for Platner to step aside triggered a wave of withdrawals from prominent Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the Democratic Senate campaign arm, called for Platner’s withdrawal and said the committee would not fund his campaign if he remained on the ballot. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who had previously backed him, asked him to withdraw. Maine’s state party leadership also urged him to step down.
Platner announced Wednesday that he planned to withdraw from the race, citing what he described as “structures being taken away from us by those in power,” though the timing coincided directly with the sexual assault allegations. On Friday, July 11, he officially filed a letter withdrawing his candidacy with Maine’s division of elections. “I write to formally withdraw my candidacy for United States Senate,” he wrote.
The withdrawal triggered a compressed timeline for Maine Democrats to select a replacement nominee. Under state law, they have until July 27 at 5 p.m. ET to submit a new candidate to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in what is expected to be one of the nation’s most competitive Senate races. The Maine Democratic Party announced it will hold a nominating convention on July 25 where delegates will choose from candidates who have collected petition signatures from Maine voters.
Platner’s campaign had been marked by controversy since he launched his candidacy in August 2025. In October 2025, offensive Reddit posts from years earlier resurfaced in which he called himself a “communist” and made disparaging comments about women. In May 2026, his wife disclosed that Platner had exchanged sexual texts with women outside of his marriage. In June 2026, the New York Times reported that several ex-girlfriends described “unsettling behavior” and alleged he had been physically aggressive toward them, though Platner denied those claims at the time.
Sources
- The Guardian — Sanders’ statement calling for Platner to withdraw and details of the political fallout
- Politico — Jenny Racicot’s account of the alleged sexual assault in late 2021
- Washington Post — Lyndsey Fifield’s allegations regarding condom removal without consent
- NBC News — Platner’s official withdrawal letter filed July 11, 2026, and the replacement nomination timeline
- PBS NewsHour — Democratic leaders’ responses including Schumer and Gillibrand’s withdrawal of support
