Maine Democrat Urged to Quit Senate Race After Rape Claim

Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine, is facing mounting pressure from party leaders and former allies to end his campaign after a former girlfriend accused him of rape. The allegation, published by Politico on July 6, has triggered a rapid collapse of support for the populist candidate and thrown one of the nation’s most closely watched Senate races into turmoil.

The Allegation

Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who dated Platner on and off for several years, told Politico that Platner entered her home while intoxicated in late 2021 and forcibly had sex with her after she repeatedly told him to stop. Racicot said she cut off contact with Platner after the incident and told him it was not consensual.

“I don’t believe that you could think that scenario is consensual,” Racicot told WGME. “When somebody is repeatedly, and in the middle of it, saying ‘don’t touch me’ that’s obviously not consensual.”

Racicot said she did not come forward sooner because she did not want to be publicly known as a rape victim and felt torn because she agrees with Platner’s political positions. She said she was compelled to speak after previous allegations of relationship misconduct emerged in June 2026. Politico reported that Racicot backed up her account with contemporaneous messages to a friend from 2023 describing the incident, notes to her therapist, and confirmation from a subsequent boyfriend.

Platner’s Response

Platner released a video statement denying the allegation. “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,” he said, according to the Boston Globe. He did not commit to remaining in the race, saying his campaign is “taking the 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.”

Democratic Leaders Abandon Platner

Within hours of the report’s publication, a cascade of Democratic leaders withdrew their endorsements and called on Platner to drop out. The Maine Democratic Party issued a statement calling on Platner to withdraw, declaring that the party “stands with women and survivors, and that principle does not bend based on party affiliation.”

Senator Elizabeth Warren, who had previously campaigned for Platner, said, “With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race.” Senator Bernie Sanders also called for Platner to step aside.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, announced that the DSCC “will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.” Representative Ro Khanna, a prominent progressive who campaigned for Platner, withdrew his endorsement, calling the allegations “very serious and credible.”

The Clock Is Ticking

Under Maine law, Platner has until July 13 — exactly one week after the accusation was published — to withdraw from the race for the party to replace him on the November ballot. The Maine Democratic Party would then have until July 27 to select a replacement nominee.

Potential replacements include Governor Janet Mills, who suspended her own Senate primary campaign in April amid Platner’s surge in fundraising and polling; Nirav Shah, a former state health director; and Shenna Bellows, the current secretary of state.

A Campaign Plagued by Controversy

The rape accusation is the latest and most serious in a series of controversies that have dogged Platner’s campaign since its launch in August 2025. Previous reports revealed past Reddit posts containing victim-blaming comments about sexual assault, a Nazi-era Totenkopf tattoo on his chest, and allegations from former girlfriends of physically threatening behavior. In May 2026, reports emerged that Platner’s wife disclosed to campaign staff that he had sexted multiple women during their marriage.

Despite these controversies, Platner won the Democratic primary in June with 72 percent of the vote, setting a turnout record. Polls had shown him running neck-and-neck with incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term.

What’s Next

The Maine Senate seat is critical to Democrats’ hopes of winning control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold 53 seats to Democrats’ 47. Collins, a moderate Republican and chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called the allegations “appalling” but said it is not her role to choose the Democratic nominee.

Platner’s decision on whether to withdraw by the July 13 deadline will determine whether Democrats can field a viable replacement or face an uphill battle to flip one of the most pivotal seats in the country.

As the Jerusalem Post reported, the unified and rapid response from Democratic leaders — withdrawing support within hours — underscores the gravity of the situation and the party’s determination to avoid a candidate it views as politically untenable.