Maine Democrats Scramble to Replace Senate Candidate After Rape Allegation Forces Him Out

A Campaign That Promised Revolution Ends in Disgrace

Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, ended his candidacy on Wednesday — throwing a contest with national implications into chaos and punctuating one of the most meteoric rises and dramatic falls of any candidate in recent memory. A Marine veteran and oyster farmer, Platner had handily won the primary after two-term Gov. Janet Mills, the Democratic establishment's preferred candidate, failed to gain traction and quit the contest in late April. With his plainspoken and anti-establishment rhetoric, Platner tapped into a rising populism within the Democratic base.

The seismic announcement came in the wake of a report from Politico on Monday, in which Jenny Racicot, a woman from Maine who used to date Platner, alleged he raped her in 2021. Damaging allegations have defined Platner's campaign from the beginning, including reports on his past threatening and troubling behavior toward dating partners, but he could not survive the gravity and clarity of Racicot's account. The Politico story featured Racicot, 41, alleging that in 2021, when they dated, Platner appeared at her home uninvited and intoxicated and forced himself on her even as she told him to stop. Platner has consistently denied all allegations against him.

Support Collapses Overnight

On Monday, within hours of the Politico story, Platner's support completely collapsed among Democrats from Maine to Washington. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and powerful party campaign organizations called on him to drop out and refused further investment in Maine while he remained the nominee. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who had visited Maine to campaign for Platner, said there "can be no tolerance for sexual assault." Rep. Ro Khanna called the allegation "serious and credible," and Sen. Bernie Sanders — whom Platner cited as a model for his politics — also said he advised him to step aside.

The death knell came when the campaign arm for Senate Democrats vowed not to invest in the race if Platner remained on the ballot. For more than 48 hours, Platner faced increasing pressure from fellow Democrats to withdraw speedily, facing an already-ticking clock. Adding to the anger were reports that Platner and his team were trying to influence the selection of a replacement candidate. The rift spilled into public when the executive director of the Maine Democratic Party posted a statement accusing Platner's team of "repeatedly reach[ing] out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like."

A Campaign Already Scarred by Controversy

The rape allegation was not Platner's first scandal. His campaign had already weathered reports of sending sexually explicit texts to multiple women and a tattoo with Nazi symbolism. Platner said he didn't know his tattoo had a Nazi association and covered it up when he learned about its meaning. He responded to the Wall Street Journal report about his explicit text messages by saying he and his wife "went through something hard — because of me." Despite all of it, he became the Democratic nominee in June after receiving more than 70% of the vote in the primary.

Platner made his exit announcement in a video posted to social media on Wednesday. "We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," he said. "This is incredibly difficult because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not," he continued.

What Comes Next for Maine Democrats

Since Platner dropped out ahead of the July 13 deadline, the Maine Democratic Party will be able to replace him on the general election ballot. The party needs to select a new nominee by July 27. Jockeying has already commenced in the state for the person who might take up the mantle of Senate Democratic nominee, including Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former head of the Maine CDC Nirav Shah, and former state Senate President Troy Jackson.

A Public Policy Polling survey commissioned by Platner's campaign and surveying 785 Maine voters on Tuesday showed how Democrats fare against Collins post-scandal. Platner trailed Collins by 5 points, while Jackson fared the best, leading Collins 49 percent to 44 percent. James Melcher, professor of political science at the University of Maine at Farmington, told Newsweek that the greater political danger for Democrats is not that Republicans will capitalize on Platner's scandals, but that the party could struggle to maintain unity after the collapse of a candidacy that drew significant support from voters attracted to his outsider appeal. With the clock ticking and the stakes for Senate control enormous, Maine Democrats now face the urgent task of uniting behind a new candidate — and fast.