politics
Democratic Senate Nominee Graham Platner Suspends Maine Campaign After Assault Allegation
Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from the Maine U.S. Senate race after a woman accused him of sexual assault five years ago. Party leaders withdrew endorsements and urged him to step aside ahead of a July 13 deadline.
Jul 6, 3:59 PM·1m read75 sources
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Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner announced he will suspend his campaign for the Maine U.S. Senate seat after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her five years ago. Platner stated the accusation is "categorically false" and denied any claim of non-consensual behavior.
The accuser said the alleged incident occurred in late 2021 after the two met on Bumble in 2019 and maintained an on-again, off-again relationship.
Party Withdraws Support Rep. Ro Khanna called for Platner to drop out. Rep.
Ruben Gallego withdrew his endorsement. Platner postponed campaign events after the allegation became public.
He faces a July 13, 2026 deadline to withdraw from the race. Maine Democrats could select a replacement nominee by July 27, 2026 if he steps aside in time for the November election. Charles Dingman, chair of the Maine Democratic Party, would play a key role in choosing the state's Democratic Senate candidate.
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders said on July 7, 2026, that he spoke with Platner and encouraged him to step aside.
