Platner campaign reels as new assault allegation deepens pressure

Graham Platner’s Senate campaign was thrown into fresh turmoil after a Maine woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021, prompting Democratic leaders to call on the nominee to abandon his race against five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Platner denied the allegation and said he was taking time to “reflect on the best path forward” as pressure mounted on a campaign already weakened by earlier controversies.

The accuser, Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident, told Politico that Platner entered her home uninvited about five years ago and forced himself on her despite repeated objections. The new allegation landed as Platner was still the Democratic nominee after winning the party’s June 9 primary, a contest the Associated Press called on election night. Platner told supporters then, “I’m still far from perfect, but everyday I wake up and try to be a little bit better.”

Democratic reaction was swift. Maine Democratic Party leaders called on Platner to withdraw, and Rep. Ro Khanna also urged him to drop out. If Platner exits, Maine Democrats would have until July 27 to choose a replacement, a narrow window that underscores the logistical strain of changing nominees after the primary. The Bangor Daily News has reported that a ballot switch at this stage would force the party to scramble.

The episode adds to a campaign that had already been under strain from previous scandals involving controversial online posts, earlier accusations about his behavior with women, and a tattoo with Nazi ties. Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer, rose quickly in a race national Democrats had hoped would be one of their best pickup chances in 2026. His campaign had been cast as a test of whether a rough-edged outsider could still survive scrutiny in a Senate contest that could help determine control of the chamber.

That stakes-driven calculation now looks more precarious. Platner is running in a state where Collins has repeatedly outlasted challengers, and Democrats had viewed Maine as a rare opportunity to flip a seat in a closely watched Senate year. With party leaders pressing for his withdrawal and a replacement deadline looming, the race has shifted from a theory of voter appeal to a test of how much damage a nominee can absorb before institutional support collapses.