Graham Platner Drops Out of Maine Senate Race Amid Sexual Assault Allegation

PORTLAND, Maine — Graham Platner, the oyster farmer and combat veteran whose unlikely Senate campaign captured national attention, announced Wednesday that he is ending his bid for the U.S. Senate following an allegation that he sexually assaulted a Maine woman in 2021.

Platner, who denies the accusation, released an 11-minute video on social media in which he struck a defiant tone while acknowledging that his campaign had lost the financial resources and organizational support necessary to compete. He said large donors, national Democratic organizations, and other key backers had withdrawn their support in recent days.

"This was the last week to try to get me off of the ballot," Platner said in the video. "That's why this is occurring."

The allegation that precipitated his departure came from Jenny Racicot, a Maine Democrat who dated Platner casually for about two years. According to reports, Racicot said Platner arrived at her home intoxicated in 2021 and forced her to have sex with him. Platner has denied the accusation.

Racicot has received support from Reckoning Action, an organization focused on combating misogyny and gender bias. Executive Director Cheyenne Hunt said in a statement that Maine voters should never have been placed in this position.

"His rise was a universal failure that required far too many people to ignore glaring red flags and accept his rampant misogyny and pattern of abuse as an appropriate trade-off for a golden boy progressive candidate," Hunt said.

Platner's withdrawal comes before the 5 p.m. deadline on July 13, meaning the Maine Democratic Party has until July 27 to select a replacement nominee through a nominating convention. Party officials announced shortly before Platner's video that state committee members had voted to hold such a convention, though details about timing and candidate requirements have not yet been released.

In his video, Platner called for the replacement process to be "open, transparent and democratic." He said the ballot line "belongs to the people of Maine."

The rapid rise and fall of Platner's campaign represents one of the most dramatic chapters in recent Maine political history. The political newcomer announced his candidacy last August with backing from out-of-state operatives who had helped elect figures like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. His campaign instantly attracted national media attention.

The momentum reached its peak on Labor Day, when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared alongside Platner at a rally in Portland that drew approximately 6,500 people to the Cross Insurance Arena. Over the following months, Platner held numerous well-attended town halls and built a dedicated volunteer network. His progressive platform — including proposals to tax billionaires and expand social programs — resonated with thousands of Mainers frustrated with the political establishment.

But the campaign's trajectory shifted sharply in October, when reporting revealed a history of problematic online comments by Platner, including statements blaming women for being assaulted and making racist and homophobic remarks. He subsequently disclosed a skull-and-crossbones tattoo he received while on military leave in Croatia in 2007, saying he was unaware it resembled a Nazi symbol until questions arose.

The controversies failed to derail his candidacy entirely. Earlier this year, Gov. Janet Mills — the preferred candidate of national Democrats — suspended her own Senate campaign after lagging in polling and fundraising, leaving Platner as the apparent front-runner for the Democratic nomination.

Then came additional reports. The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner had sent sexually explicit messages to numerous women shortly after his marriage in 2023. The New York Times published accounts from ex-girlfriends describing what they characterized as disturbing behavior, including allegations that Platner grabbed women forcefully during arguments. Platner denied any physical assault.

The Politico story about Racicot's allegation proved to be the final development that ended his candidacy.

With Platner out, attention now turns to who might replace him on the Democratic ballot. Former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson announced Wednesday evening that he is entering the Senate race. Nirav Shah, who finished as runner-up in the recent governor's race, and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows have both indicated they are considering bids.

Republicans, meanwhile, expressed confidence that the turmoil would benefit incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. Alex Latcham, executive director of the Senate Leadership Fund, a group working to maintain Republican control of the Senate, said Collins will prevail regardless of whom national Democrats select as their nominee.

The Democratic convention to replace Platner is expected to draw hundreds of party members, though a date and location have not yet been announced.