Graham Platner, the embattled Democratic candidate in Maine’s Senate race, will suspend his campaign amid allegations of sexual assault from past girlfriends.
Platner announced he would end his Senate bid in a video posted to social media on Wednesday, bowing to pressure from party leaders and top progressives who rescinded their support in recent days. Democrats have less than three weeks to select a new nominee before the July 27 deadline.
“We believe that for the movement to continue, it can’t be me,” Platner said in a video posted to social media. “For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations.“
The decision comes days after Platner’s ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault, telling Politico he had once raped her while he was “almost blackout drunk” in an incident nearly five years ago. The former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, said she and Platner had an on-again-off-again relationship for roughly two years before the alleged assault took place.
After Racicot’s allegations came to light, the Washington Post reported that another ex-girlfriend of Platner accused him of removing condoms without her consent while having sex. Lyndsey Fifield, who told the outlet she dated Platner from 2013 to 2015, said when she confronted him about the incident, he would make light of the situation.
Platner’s campaign denied all allegations in separate statements, calling them “categorically false and politically motivated.”
Platner continued to deny allegations in his suspension announcement video, but said his campaign would no longer be viable due to the collapse of support.
“This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it’s an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not,” Platner said. “We’re not doing it because of the allegations, we’re doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power.”
The women’s allegations prompted several top Democrats and progressives to withdraw their support for Platner’s candidacy and urge him to drop out of the race. Those calls came from some of his most prominent backers, including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Platner had announced earlier this week that he would take time to “reflect on the best path forward.” He also canceled some campaign events scheduled for Sunday and Monday.
Sexual assault allegations are latest in line of controversies
The sexual assault allegations are the latest in a string of controversies that have plagued Platner’s campaign in recent months.
The New York Times initially reported in early June details of Platner’s past relationships as his former girlfriends, including Racicot and Fifield, revealed he had shown “reckless” and “unsettling” behavior. The Times report prompted some Democrats to reconsider their support.
Before that, Platner had been criticized for other past behavior, including offensive comments posted on social media. In some uncovered Reddit posts, Platner described himself as a “psychedelics taking socialist” and also said sexual assault victims should “just take some responsibility for themselves.”
Platner has also faced backlash for having a Nazi-related tattoo on his chest, which he later covered up claiming he did not know what the symbol meant.
Platner faced earlier allegations of physical mistreatment toward women, which he repeatedly denied.
Democrats search for new candidate in consequential race
Platner’s exit from the race now sends Democrats into a scramble to choose a new nominee. Under state law, Democrats have until July 27 to replace him on the ballot.
The Maine Democratic Party announced on Wednesday it would hold a nominating convention to choose a new candidate. The timeline for that process is not yet clear, as the party voted to hold a convention before Platner officially stepped down.
“There is an unprecedented amount of energy and enthusiasm among Maine Democrats, driven in part by many of the dedicated volunteers and supporters who were inspired by Graham Platner’s campaign,” state party leaders said in a joint statement. “We look forward to coming together and harnessing that energy around our new nominee as we work to defeat Susan Collins in November.”
Democrats are already exploring a number of potential candidates, including Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; Jordan Wood, who previously ran in the Democratic Senate primary; Troy Jackson, former president of Maine’s state Senate; and Nirav Shah, who previously served as the director of Maine’s public health agency, among others.
Dan Kleban, a co-founder of the Maine Beer Company, already announced he would throw his hat in the ring, according to a statement on Wednesday.
“Over the next two weeks, we need an open, transparent process to select our nominee,” he said. “I’m ready to fight for Mainers and bring a new generation of leadership to Washington. I believe I can unite our party and finally defeat Susan Collins in November.”
State Rep. Valli Geiger also expressed interest, and she told Maine’s Total Coverage that Platner asked her to take his place on the ballot. Platner’s campaign denied that took place.
Whoever is chosen as the nominee is sure to face an uphill battle as they campaign against Collins, who has a strong fundraising advantage and has long defeated Democratic efforts to unseat her.
Maine is considered one of Democrats’ best chances to flip a Senate seat in November as the party tries to take back control of the upper chamber. The seat is rated as a tossup, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.