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Platner faces withdrawal pressure
Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, is facing mounting pressure to drop out after a woman he previously dated accused him of sexual assault in interviews with Politico that were published on Monday.
“"categorically false" but said he was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward"”
Platner denied the allegation, calling it "categorically false" and saying he was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" in the race, which is pivotal to Democrats' chances of gaining control of the Senate.
Top Democrats, including Senator Bernie Sanders, said they had recommended that Platner step aside, and the BBC reported that the campaign was rocked by earlier controversies including the discovery of a tattoo on his chest resembling a Nazi symbol.
The BBC also reported that Platner is set to take on incumbent senator Republican Susan Collins in November's congressional elections, and that Maine state law requires him to withdraw by 13 July for his name to be removed from the state's ballot.
NBC News said Platner’s Senate campaign paused all of its ads on Facebook and Instagram, according to Meta’s archive, as he weighed his future while supporters backed out.
Democrats pull endorsements
The Associated Press reported that Democrats began pulling Platner endorsements after the Politico report, describing a woman’s account that Platner drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop.
AP quoted Racicot saying, "He violated multiple layers of consent that night," and it also reported that Platner said, "Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false," in his video.
The BBC said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand called the allegations "incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable," and it reported that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee "will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot".
The BBC further reported that the list of Democrats calling on him to drop out grew on Monday night to include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Elissa Slotkin, and that three supporters withdrew their endorsements, including Congressman Ro Khanna and Senators Martin Heinrich and Ruben Gallego.
The Hill reported that former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson filed exploratory committee paperwork with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday to potentially replace Platner if he chooses to exit the race, and it said the Maine Democratic Party has until July 27 to name a replacement if Platner exits before the state’s Monday ballot deadline.
Ballot deadlines and stakes
Maine state law sets a timeline for replacement if Platner withdraws, with the BBC reporting he must withdraw by 13 July for his name to be removed from the state's ballot and replaced by another candidate.
“must withdraw from the race by 13 July in order for his name to be removed”
The Associated Press said the replacement candidate must be named by July 27, and it described the race as a must-win for Democrats as they try to control the chamber against Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
NBC News tied the political turmoil to broader national stakes, noting that Platner had been seen as the party’s strongest chance to unseat Susan Collins and that President Donald Trump was attending the NATO summit in Turkey while leaders discussed defense spending, support for Ukraine and the Iran war.
The Hill reported that Jackson’s exploratory committee filing tees him up to replace Platner if he chooses to exit, and it said Jackson called on Platner to exit the race in a Tuesday social media statement after the allegation.
In the same reporting cycle, the BBC said the race is one of several pivotal to Democrats eyeing a longshot bid to flip control of the Senate, and it stated that no Republican has carried Maine in a presidential election since 1988.