Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Maine, is facing a significant challenge to his campaign following serious allegations of sexual assault. The controversy has led to a wave of endorsements being rescinded and calls for Platner to step aside from the race.
The allegations, reported by POLITICO, involve Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who dated Platner. Racicot accused Platner of entering her home uninvited in 2026 and forcing himself on her after she repeatedly told him to stop. The incident has sparked a swift reaction from political allies and advocacy groups.
Christopher Street Project Withdraws Endorsement
The Christopher Street Project, a national political organization dedicated to electing transgender rights advocates, rescinded its endorsement of Platner on Monday. The group, which had previously expressed enthusiasm for Platner’s candidacy, now calls for him to withdraw from the race.
Christopher Street Project executive director Tyler Hack stated, “Christopher Street Project is an organization that believes survivors, and that commitment cannot be conditional.” Hack emphasized the group’s commitment to survivors and the seriousness of the allegations, urging Platner to step aside.
Prominent Democrats Withdraw Support
Several prominent Democrats have also withdrawn their endorsements of Platner in light of the allegations. U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who had previously endorsed Platner, called on him to leave the race, stating, “I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line.” Khanna described the allegations as “very serious and credible.”
U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York also rescinded their endorsements. Gallego described the allegations as “troubling and deeply serious,” while Torres stated, “Graham Platner should drop out.”
Platner’s Response
Platner denied the allegations in a two-minute video posted to social media on Monday. He described the allegations as “troubling” and “serious,” but maintained that “any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false.” Platner indicated that he was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward” for his campaign.
The allegations against Platner are the most serious threat yet to his campaign. Platner, a Marine and Army veteran and oyster farmer, won Maine’s Democratic primary on June 9 and is running against Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate races. The seat could help determine control of the chamber.
The Broader Implications
The withdrawal of endorsements and calls for Platner to step aside have far-reaching implications for the Democratic Party and its hopes of winning back the majority in the Senate. The party needs to net a total of four seats to take control of the chamber, and Maine is key to that effort. President Trump lost the state in 2026, and party officials believe incumbent Susan Collins could be vulnerable in a year when Republicans are facing political headwinds.
However, the allegations around Platner have complicated what was already a narrow path back to power for Democrats. Since launching his campaign last August, the first-time candidate has been the subject of multiple scandals surrounding his private life. In June, The New York Times published accounts from three women who previously had romantic relationships with Platner, characterizing his behavior as “unsettling.”
The woman who accused Platner of assault in the POLITICO story was included in the Times piece, but did not include the specific assault allegation there. In response to the reporting, Platner took responsibility for what he called a “very dark period of my life,” telling the Times that he often abused alcohol and was “a far from perfect boyfriend,” though he also added that “any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated.” In a subsequent interview with Maine Public Radio, Platner said any suggestion that he engaged in physically threatening behavior was “just not true.”
Just days before the Times story was published, the Wall Street Journal reported that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women towards the start of his marriage. Platner’s campaign has since confirmed the story. The campaign has also had to grapple with old, deleted Reddit posts by Platner that resurfaced last fall and show him making insensitive comments about Black and LGBTQ+ people, and disparaging sexual assault victims.
Platner has acknowledged that in 2007 he unknowingly got a tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol. Platner has said he was unaware of the association and has since covered up the symbol. Throughout his campaign, Platner has spoken at length about his past struggles dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he has framed them as a sign of his authenticity and relatability to voters.
“It’s very clear that here in the state of Maine, the voters really do understand that I am who I claim to be,” Platner told NPR at the end of May. “I’m a very real person, warts and all. If people in the Democratic Party in other states don’t like me, that’s not really my problem.”
The allegations against Platner have put the Democratic Party in a difficult position. The party must decide whether to support Platner despite the serious allegations or to find a replacement candidate. Under Maine law, Democrats can replace Platner on the ballot only if he withdraws by July 13. The state Democratic Party would then have until July 27 to choose a replacement nominee.
As the situation unfolds, the focus will be on how Platner responds to the allegations and whether he decides to step aside from the race. The outcome of this controversy could have significant implications for the Democratic Party’s chances of winning back the majority in the Senate.
