A woman who previously dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a released Monday, leading prominent supporters to pull their endorsements and throwing a must-win race for the party into turmoil.
Platner denied the allegation, but said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.
鈥淩egardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we鈥檙e taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,鈥� he said in a video released on social media.
Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner, but she cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident wasn鈥檛 consensual. A voicemail left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response, but in an interview on CNN Monday evening she said she opted not to fight back for fear of Platner, a former Marine, becoming more violent.
鈥淗e violated multiple layers of consent that night,鈥� Racicot said.
Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to an email and phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.
鈥淎ny accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,鈥� Platner said in his video.
Still, the allegation sparked a flight away from a candidate who has long been controversial. The main campaign arm of Senate Democrats called on Platner to drop out and said it would spend no money in the state if he is the nominee.
鈥淕raham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins,鈥� Kirsten Gillibrand, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, said in a joint statement.
Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who’d stood by Platner even as the insurgent candidate was hit with prior allegations, said Monday’s was enough. 鈥淚鈥檝e been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,鈥� Khanna said. 鈥淭hese allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.鈥�
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego also announced he was pulling his endorsement, as did the Democratic-leaning political group End Citizens United.
The Democratic leaders of Maine’s legislature called for Platner to withdraw, as did top officials at the state Democratic Party.
鈥淥ver the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner. Today鈥檚 statements take those allegations even further,鈥� party chair Charlie Dingman, vice chair Imke Schessler and executive director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a joint statement.
鈥淭his Senate race comes at a pivotal moment in the struggle against a government, supported by Senator Collins, that serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary Maine people. It is essential that we refocus this campaign on that struggle,鈥� the statement continued.
Platner commandingly won Maine’s Democratic primary last month, but allows him to be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws by July 13. The replacement candidate must be named by July 27.
As of Monday, Platner had canceled a handful of campaign town halls planned in Maine.
Platner was a first-time candidate who won the primary with backing of the party’s left wing. While some Democrats after his commanding primary win, Platner’s controversial history had already left others openly despairing of their chances of winning the race. A veteran who also worked for a private security contractor, Platner has a chest tattoo , had a history of controversial statements on social media and reportedly shortly after getting married.
In 2013, Platner posted on Reddit that people shouldn鈥檛 get so drunk 鈥渢hey wind up having sex with someone they don鈥檛 mean to鈥� and that sexual assault victims should 鈥渏ust take some responsibility for themselves.鈥� He’s since apologized for the post and says he no longer holds those beliefs.
Hasan Piker, a leftist commentator and streamer who’s backed Platner, seemed to reverse himself Monday following the Politico report. “If new evidence presents itself, I鈥檓 going to change my perspective 鈥� it鈥檚 that simple,鈥� Piker said during a livestream on Twitch, adding: 鈥淭his is a clear-cut instance of verifiable sexual assault allegations. It鈥檚 completely irredeemable.鈥�
Maine’s Democrats have long sought to oust Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who’s held on despite representing a state that reliably votes for other party at the presidential level. After Collins’ solid 2020 win, several Maine Democrats passed on the opportunity to challenge her this time and instead looked at other offices. That left the state’s 78-year-old governor, Janet Mills, as the Democratic establishment’s best hope.
Platner rode into the political void and pitched himself as a blue-collar oysterman and veteran who could reach disaffected voters who had supported President Donald Trump. But as allegations began mounting against him, some state Democrats had heartburn, embodied by Mills’ refusal to endorse Platner after she dropped out of the primary. Chatter already began to circulate about other possible replacements, including former state senator and logger Troy Jackson and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
鈥淚鈥檝e known this has been coming,鈥� said Marie Follayttar, a Democrat and community organizer in Maine, talking the growing whispers inside the state’s small population that had been bracing for yet another revelation surrounding Platner. 鈥淚鈥檝e been scared and I鈥檝e been sick waiting.鈥�
The Associated Press generally does not name victims of sexual assault, but in this case Racicot spoke in an interview with Politico.
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