Graham Platner, Maine's Democratic Senate nominee, is facing a sexual assault allegation that has thrown his campaign into crisis just days before a crucial withdrawal deadline. The allegation centers on an incident in 2021 involving his former girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, who told Politico that Platner arrived at her home unannounced while drunk and forced himself on her.
Platner has categorically denied the accusation. "These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue," he said in a statement. His campaign characterized the claim as part of a coordinated "smear" effort orchestrated by out-of-state operatives intent on derailing his candidacy.
The timing of the allegation has intensified pressure on Platner's viability as a candidate. In a video statement released Monday, he acknowledged the political damage while stopping short of withdrawing. "Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," Platner said.
Racicot, 41, told Politico she had casually dated Platner between 2019 and 2021. She described the 2021 incident in stark terms: "I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me. I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, 'This is no longer my choice.'" She said she was conflicted about coming forward because she agrees with Platner politically but felt compelled to speak out to give voters a complete picture of his character.
This is not the first accusation to surface. Last week, NBC News reported that attorney and social media influencer Cheyenne Hunt, who founded a women's advocacy group, was coordinating with multiple women who had past relationships with Platner. Hunt identified Racicot as one of the women coming forward and issued a sharp statement: "Courageous women came forward at great personal risk to expose the truth, protect other women, and ensure that Maine voters are not forced to choose between a predator and a traitor to women."
The Racicot allegation also echoes concerns raised in a New York Times article that interviewed several women who had dated Platner and described "unsettling" behavior. In that earlier report, Racicot mentioned the 2021 incident but provided fewer details.
Platner won the Democratic primary on June 9 with more than 70% of the vote. The new allegation arrives with significant legal and political implications. Under Maine law, the general election nominee withdrawal deadline is July 13, just one week away. If Platner withdraws, the state Democratic Party would have until July 27 to select a replacement candidate.
Platner's campaign strongly suggested he will not step aside. In a lengthy statement, the campaign rejected comparisons to previous accusations, calling them false and part of a pattern of opposition attacks. "For a year, opponents of this campaign have thrown everything they can at Graham, calling him a Nazi, a war criminal, and a communist. None of it has been true and this is no different," the statement read. The campaign also noted the timing was suspicious, coming a week before the ballot deadline and a week before the primary.
The race against Collins, the incumbent Republican, has been viewed as pivotal to Democratic hopes of gaining ground in the Senate. Collins has held the seat since 1997 and faced a strong challenge in 2020 from Sara Gideon, who lost by nearly four percentage points.
Platner's campaign canceled multiple public events over the weekend as the scandal unfolded, signaling the seriousness of the situation even as leadership insisted he would remain in the race.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "The one-week window to the withdrawal deadline makes this decision genuinely urgent, and Platner's carefully worded reflection language suggests real internal deliberation even as his campaign insists he's staying put."
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