Graham Platner ends US Senate campaign in Maine

Graham Platner, the populist political newcomer who Democrats had hoped could flip a critical U.S. Senate seat in Maine, ended his campaign Wednesday night with a bitter and defiant statement after a woman he previously dated publicly accused him of sexual assault.

“We believe for the movement to continue, it can’t be me and for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations,” Platner said Wednesday night in an 11-minute video posted to social media.

Even as he withdrew from the race, Platner remained insistent that the accusations against him, and other controversies dating back to October, were false and part of a larger campaign “by the establishment to put structural pressure on us.”

“We live in a political system that is not built for normal people. It is a system that is built structurally to make sure that movements like ours cannot flourish, that if they begin to succeed, they can be crushed,” Platner said.

“This is incredibly difficult because I know some will think it is an admission of guilt and it most certainly is not,” he continued. “We are not doing it because of the allegations, we are doing it because of the structures that are being taken from us by those in power.”

The development, a month after Platner won the Democratic nomination to take on Republican Sen. Susan Collins, injects fresh chaos into Democrats’ uphill battle to retake the Senate in November. Democrats need to win four seats held by Republicans, and hold their own, to win control of the chamber.

Democratic Party leaders have until July 27 to decide on a new standard-bearer in one of the marquee races of the midterm elections, as Collins tries to hold on for a sixth term representing a state that Democrat Kamala Harris won by 7 percentage points in 2024.

The selection process remains unclear — but jockeying to replace Platner began before he even dropped out. Several candidates have already publicly expressed interest in running, while Platner allies urged Democrats to choose a new nominee who aligned with his politics and Platner privately sought influence over the decision.

In the meantime, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee opened a nominee fund Wednesday night, a committee aide told The Washington Post. The committee will use the fund to raise money until a new nominee is selected to give the next candidate a running start.

On a call with campaign staff to announce his withdrawal, Platner said he has “asked for assurances from the Democratic Party that they will ensure a process for a replacement nominee that respects the will of the voters who voted for a different kind of politics,” according to a Democrat who participated in the call. “What comes next is now in the hands of the Maine Democratic Party.”

Democratic unease about Platner had been growing for months. The 41-year-old oyster farmer faced an escalating series of scandals since launching his challenge to Collins last summer, including old social media posts dismissive of sexual assault, a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol that he later had covered up, sexually explicit text messages he sent to other women after he married in 2023, and allegations of physical violence by ex-girlfriends.

Nevertheless, many high-profile supporters — including Sens. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — initially stood by Platner. He attributed the revelations about his behavior to poor mental health and post-tramautic stress from his service in the Marine Corps and denied any violence.

Then on Monday, a woman he previously dated came forward with a new accusation of sexual assault. Jenny Racicot, who said she dated Platner on and off for two years, told The Post that he entered her home uninvited and intoxicated one night in late 2021 and forced himself on her while she told him to stop. Racicot said she cut off contact with Platner after the alleged incident. The story was first reported by Politico.

Platner denied her story in a video posted to social media but seemed to leave the door open to leaving the race.

“Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false,” he said. “Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to and the goal of defeating Susan Collins.”

Hours later, allies began to withdraw their endorsements.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who appeared at a rally with Platner in Maine days after he was accused of violent behavior in past relationships, was the first to publicly say Platner should withdraw.

“I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna said on social media. “These allegations are very serious and credible.”

The Maine Democratic Party also called on Platner to leave the race, while Senate Democratic leaders said they would withhold financial resources if he continued his campaign.

A pivotal moment came Tuesday when Sanders, one of Platner’s most influential and vocal supporters, joined the chorus.

“I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders said in a statement. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”

Also on Tuesday, a second ex-girlfriend told The Post that Platner repeatedly removed protection without her consent when they were having sex. The campaign called the claim “categorically false and politically motivated.”

Because Platner withdrew from the race before a state deadline to finalize the November ballot, Maine’s secretary of state can declare a vacancy and allow Democrats to choose a replacement. The party now has until July 27 at 5 p.m. to select that candidate.

It could get messy, with many seeking an open nominating process despite the tight timeline, to avoid the sense of a coronation by party leaders that plagued Harris after she stepped in for President Joe Biden in 2024.

Charlie Dingman, the chair of the Maine Democratic Party, and other party leaders, met with over 100 state committee members on Wednesday. They said the group voted to “hold a nominating convention to choose a new nominee if there is a vacancy to fill.”

Nirav Shah, a former public health official who finished second in the Democratic primary for governor last month and has expressed interest in a Senate campaign, suggested a televised debate and town halls.

Meanwhile, many Platner supporters rallied behind former state Sen. Troy Jackson, who rode Sanders’s endorsement to third place in the gubernatorial primary, arguing that he best represents what drew liberal voters to Platner. Jackson has formed an exploratory committee.

Other potential candidates include Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who finished fourth in the gubernatorial primary; David Costello, who finished third in the Senate primary and said he’s “back in, if Graham Platner withdraws”; and Dan Kleban, the Maine Beer Company co-founder who briefly ran for the Senate last year.