Ro Khanna Says He Regrets Endorsing Graham Platner
The California congressman made the remark after Platner left the Maine Senate race and his statement heightens pressure on Democrats to choose a thoroughly vetted replacement before state deadlines.
Overview
- Citing a Sunday interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Rep. Ro Khanna said he withdrew his endorsement of Graham Platner after a sexual‑assault allegation surfaced and that he regrets backing the former candidate.
- Platner suspended and then withdrew from the Maine Democratic Senate race following reporting of past online posts, a controversial tattoo, claims of sexting while married, and a New York Times article that included an allegation of sexual assault.
- National Democratic groups including the DSCC conditioned funding and other support on a change of nominee, leaving Maine Democrats racing to name a replacement who can be vetted and funded under tight state deadlines.
- The Maine Democratic Party is organizing a caucus-based replacement process with roughly 600 delegates to meet the state schedule, a choice that will determine whether Democrats can field a competitive challenger to Sen. Susan Collins.
- Conservative outlets and Republican operatives seized on Khanna’s prior support and on Platner’s past statements to criticize Democratic vetting, raising broader questions about how parties evaluate candidates and respond to allegations.