Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee joined a growing list of party leaders demanding Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner get out of the race, after a woman came forward with a detailed account of sexual assault.
Platner won his primary this summer as part of a wave of progressive newcomers. Now he says he’s “taking the time” to figure out what comes next, after Politico published allegations that he assaulted a woman he was dating back in 2021.
Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who chairs the DSCC, put it plainly in a joint statement.
“The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing — violence, abuse, and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable,” they wrote. They want him gone: “Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins.” And they were direct about the consequences — the DSCC will not spend money in Maine if he stays on the ballot.
The clock is already running. Maine law gives Platner until July 13 to withdraw. If he does, state Democrats get two weeks to find someone else.
There’s an irony here worth noting: Schumer only backed Platner in the first place because his favored candidate, 78-year-old Gov. Janet Mills, dropped out just before the June 9 primary after Maine voters made clear they weren’t interested.
The allegation itself, first reported by Politico Monday, comes from Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine woman. Her account is graphic and specific.
“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful with me,” she told Politico. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.'”
Platner denies it. “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,” he said, though he acknowledged he’s now weighing his campaign’s future.
This isn’t his first difficulty. He’s already been dealing with fallout over old online posts, sexting with other women after he got married, and a tattoo critics say resembles a Nazi symbol. He’s said he’s changed since then.
Monday’s report was different, and it cost him fast.
Maine’s Democratic Party turned on him within hours. “Over the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner. Today’s statements take those allegations even further,” the party said, calling on him to withdraw.
The national defections piled up too. Rep. Ro Khanna pulled his endorsement outright: “I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line… Graham Platner should drop out from the race.” Sen. Ruben Gallego did the same, calling the allegations “troubling and deeply serious.”
For now, Platner is still in the race. The next six days will decide whether he stays there.
