Democratic nominee suspends Maine Senate campaign after allegation

The Democratic nominee in Maine's U.S. Senate race announced he is suspending his campaign after an allegation of sexual assault. The announcement came in an 11-minute video posted on social media on Wednesday night. The candidate said the decision was driven by structures being taken away from supporters rather than the allegation itself.

response The allegation appeared in a Politico story published less than 48 hours earlier. It described an incident in 2021 in which an ex-girlfriend said an intoxicated candidate entered her home uninvited and sexually assaulted her. The candidate denied the allegation.

Within hours, state and national party officials withdrew their backing and the national party said it would no longer help finance the campaign.

Hundreds of delegates are expected to choose the replacement. The party previously said it would seek public input and not make the decision behind closed doors. The candidate said he would not formally file withdrawal paperwork until assured the replacement process is open and democratic. A state-mandated deadline requires the new nominee to be in place by July 27.

A University of Maine at Farmington professor said many supporters may sit out if the process appears to favor establishment candidates. Former state Senator Lynn Bromley said the party must attract young voters and that the campaign showed energy available to Democrats.

She added that voters may struggle to coalesce around a new candidate in three months. The Republican incumbent has held the seat since 1997 and defeated a better-funded opponent in 2020 despite trailing in polls until election day.

“The party has a lot of work to do to attract young people, and the Platner campaign showed us that the party has that energy available to us.”