Graham Platner suspends campaign for Maine Senate seat after rape allegation

Jul 09, 2026 - 03:35

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Democrat Graham Platner announced he is suspending his campaign for Maine's U.S. Senate seat following a rape allegation.

In a video message posted Wednesday, Platner said he would suspend campaign operations.

"We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," Platner said in his message.

"This is incredibly difficult, because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not. We're not doing it because of the allegations, we're doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power."

Although Platner denied the allegation, he quickly lost support from several of his highest-profile backers, including Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also said it would no longer support his campaign financially if he did not step aside.

Platner needs to withdraw by July 13 for Maine Democrats to have an opportunity to replace him before the state's July 27 deadline, according to state law.

It remains unclear if or whether Platner will ultimately be replaced in the race to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who had been viewed as one of the more vulnerable Republican incumbents in the 2026 midterm elections. The Maine Democratic Party will determine the process for selecting a new nominee.

Platner's campaign had already been marked by controversy. He faced scrutiny over a 2013 Reddit thread in which he criticized sexual assault victims, writing that people should not get so drunk that they end up having sex with someone they did not intend to and that victims should take responsibility for themselves. He later apologized, saying he no longer held those views.

He also faced criticism over a Nazi tattoo he once had on his chest, which he later covered up. In addition, one of his former girlfriends accused him of becoming aggressive with her. She told The New York Times that the incidents left her shaken and afraid of Platner.

Despite those controversies, Platner won Maine's Democratic primary in June on a progressive platform focused on lowering the cost of living and supporting the middle class. Before entering politics, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as an oyster farmer.