Graham Platner, Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, is facing massive calls to drop out of the race after a woman he dated five years ago gave a bombshell interview to Politico accusing Platner of forcing her to have sex with him.
Platner denied the allegations in a statement saying, “These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 6, 2026
More from the New York Times:
The accusation was made by Jenny Racicot, who said she dated Mr. Platner casually off and on between 2019 and 2021. She told The New York Times this spring about a 2021 incident in which she said he arrived at her house drunk after she had asked him not to come over.
At the time, she declined to share further details of that encounter on the record, but she said she found his behavior “reckless” and “unsettling,” and cut off contact soon after that episode.
But in a new interview published in Politico on Monday, Ms. Racicot elaborated on her recollection of that night, saying Mr. Platner let himself into her home, climbed on top of her and kept grabbing her — even after she repeatedly told him to stop. He ignored her protests and followed her into the bedroom, where, she said, he had sex with her against her will.
Key supporters in Congress – including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) – have quickly withdrawn their support and called on Platner to drop out of the race.
The Senate Democratic campaign arm, which had opposed Mr. Platner in the primary, called for him to quit the race saying they would “not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.”
The allegations against Graham Platner are troubling and deeply serious.
I am rescinding my endorsement.
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) July 6, 2026
Platner has until July 13 to withdraw from the race, and if he does the state Democratic Party has until July 27 to replace him on the ticket, according to Maine state law. Leaders of the state party have already asked him to step down.
“Maine Democratic Party leadership is calling on Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.” pic.twitter.com/KyK6uEiz7s
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) July 6, 2026
NEW: Schumer and DSCC Chair Gillibrand call on Platner to drop out:
“The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable.
“Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate…
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) July 6, 2026
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