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The Maine Democratic Party joined Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Bernie Sanders and more than a dozen other prominent Democrats in calling for Graham Platner to withdraw immediately from the 2026 U.S. Senate race following a sexual assault allegation reported by Politico on July 6. Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico that Platner entered her rural Maine home uninvited in late 2021 while intoxicated and forced himself on her despite her repeated objections during an on-and-off relationship that had lasted more than two years. Platner denied the allegation, calling it categorically false in a video statement, and said he was reflecting on the best path forward for the state and the goal of defeating Collins.
Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, stated in a joint release that the allegations were incredibly disturbing and that the committee will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot. Sanders, an early backer who had stood by Platner through prior controversies, said he had spoken with the candidate and recommended that he step aside in light of the very serious allegations. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Rep. Ro Khanna and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also withdrew support or called for Platner to exit, according to reports from PBS News and CNBC.
A second woman, Lyndsey Fifield, told The Washington Post this week that Platner repeatedly removed condoms without consent during their relationship from 2013 to 2015, an act known as stealthing that is illegal in Maine. Platner’s campaign described Fifield’s allegation as categorically false and politically motivated in a statement to the Post. The accusations follow a New York Times report last month in which several women described erratic and angry behavior by Platner, which surfaced just before the state’s primary.
Platner’s candidacy has been plagued by earlier scandals, including the discovery of a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol that he said he covered up after getting it while drinking with Marines in Croatia in 2007. Old Reddit posts in which he suggested sexual assault victims should take some responsibility also emerged, prompting an ad in which he asked voters to judge him on who he is today rather than comments from 14 years ago. He acknowledged exchanging explicit texts with women outside his marriage early in his relationship but said he and his wife had worked through the issues.
The contest against Collins, who has held the seat since 1996 and fended off challenges for three decades, remains one of the most expensive in state history with ad spending projected to approach $400 million according to AdImpact estimates. Siena College polling conducted June 19-26 found Collins at 49 percent and Platner at 47 percent among likely voters, while a Fox News poll from late June showed Collins at 50 percent to Platner’s 47 percent. The race is viewed as pivotal for Democrats seeking to gain Senate ground in the midterms, according to Ballotpedia analysis of national battlegrounds.
Platner must withdraw by 5 p.m. on July 13 for his name to be removed from the ballot and replaced, the Maine Democratic Party has said. Former state Senate President Troy Jackson filed paperwork for an exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday, signaling readiness to run if Platner steps aside. Nirav Shah, former director of Maine’s public health agency, noted on X that he was discussing a potential candidacy with his family, according to ABC News reporting.
The cascade of withdrawals began after endorsements from Sens. Ruben Gallego and Martin Heinrich were rescinded, with Gallego describing the allegations as troubling and deeply serious while Heinrich called them appalling. Khanna, who had campaigned with Platner, stated that the report was serious and credible and that he was withdrawing his endorsement. The party’s state leadership cited multiple women making credible allegations in recent weeks as the basis for its call for Platner to step down as the nominee.
