politics
Graham Platner Withdraws from Maine Senate Race
Graham Platner formally withdrew from the Democratic nomination for Maine's U.S. Senate seat on July 10, 2026. The move came days after sexual assault allegations surfaced and the state Democratic Party withdrew support.
Jul 10, 5:16 PM·1m read7 sources
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Graham Platner formally withdrew from Maine's U.S. Senate race on July 10, 2026, submitting a letter to state elections officials before the July 13 deadline. The 41-year-old oyster farmer had won the Democratic primary in June with 156,084 votes and a margin of more than 70 percentage points.
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The Maine Democratic Party withdrew its support following the allegations. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee stated it would refuse to invest in the race if Platner remained on the ballot.
A former campaign aide stated that Platner sent sexual text messages to as many as six women who were not his wife around August 2025. The convention is expected to comprise roughly 600 party delegates.
Troy Jackson, Nirav Shah, Shenna Bellows, Dan Kleban, Jordan Wood, and Paige Loud have announced campaigns to replace Platner. Maine state Rep. Valli Geiger has expressed interest in running and stated that Platner encouraged her to run.
In a July 8 video statement, Platner blamed "large forces," "corporate media," and the "political establishment" for conspiring to end his candidacy. He also faced an allegation from former girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield that he physically abused her during their relationship more than a decade ago.
