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Graham Platner Faces New Sexual‑Assault Allegation and Calls to Quit

Party leaders have signaled they will withhold support, turning the allegation into a make‑or‑break decision before Maine’s July 13 ballot deadline.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks at his Primary Election event on June 9, 2026 in Blue Hill, Maine.
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PORTLAND, MAINE - JUNE 07: Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks to voters at a town hall at the Elks Lodge 188 on June 7, 2026 in Portland, Maine. Platner is the presumptive Democratic nominee and will face incumbent Sen. Collins (R-ME) for Maine's U.S. Senate seat in the general election. (Photo by Laura Brett/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • A woman who dated Platner, Jenny Racicot, told Politico on Monday that he entered her home drunk in late 2021 and forced her to have sex, and Politico reported it reviewed therapist correspondence and messages that corroborated her account.
  • Platner denied the allegation in a video statement and said he is “taking time to reflect,” while his campaign postponed multiple town halls and events after the report surfaced.
  • Within hours of the Politico story, high‑profile Democrats and groups rescinded endorsements and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it will not invest in the race if Platner remains on the ballot.
  • Under Maine law the nominee must withdraw by 5 p.m. on July 13 to allow the party to name a replacement by July 27, a compressed timeline that would force a rapid selection process for a seat central to control of the U.S. Senate.
  • The allegation builds on earlier reporting about Platner’s past conduct — including a chest tattoo linked to Nazi imagery, misogynistic online posts and verified explicit texts — raising questions about vetting and the party’s path to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins.