Maine Democratic Senate Nominee Graham Platner Suspends Campaign After Rape Allegation
Democratic nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the Maine Senate race following a rape accusation, prompting the state party to schedule a convention to select a replacement by the July 27 deadline.
The Maine Democratic Party announced that it will hold a nominating convention to choose a new Senate candidate by the state-mandated July 27 deadline after Graham Platner suspended his campaign. In a video posted on social media, Platner denied the allegation, called it "categorically false," and said the decision to suspend operations was driven by "structures that are being taken away from us by those in power." He urged that the replacement process reflect the wishes of voters who supported him in the June 9 primary, where he won 72 percent of the vote.
The suspension follows a Politico report that Jenny Racicot, a former Democratic supporter who dated Platner, accused him of raping her in 2021. Platner rejected the claim, while Racicot told CNN that, by definition, the encounter constituted rape. Within hours, prominent Democrats—including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Bernie Sanders—publicly withdrew their support and indicated they would not back a campaign that kept Platner on the ballot.
State party officials said Platner’s team had attempted to influence the selection of his successor, a claim the party’s executive director denied, stating Platner would have no role in the process. Potential contenders include former Senate President Troy Jackson, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former public-health director Nirav Shah, and others who ran for governor earlier this year. Jackson has already announced his bid and received endorsements from progressive leaders such as Representative Ro Khanna and the Our Revolution group.
The party emphasized the urgency of naming a nominee, noting that the shortened timeline will make it difficult to mount a competitive challenge against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins. "The one thing in a situation like this that you can never get back is time," said Democratic consultant David Farmer.
The upcoming convention will determine the Democratic candidate who will face Collins in the November election.