Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded that Graham Platner withdraw from the Maine Senate race Monday, escalating pressure on the Democratic nominee after allegations of sexual assault emerged. The directive came as Democratic support for Platner collapsed across Capitol Hill, threatening what had been the party's most promising opportunity to flip a Republican Senate seat.
Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand issued a joint statement calling on Platner to "immediately" end his campaign and allow Maine Democrats to select a replacement who could challenge Republican incumbent Susan Collins. The two New York senators went further, declaring that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee would not fund the race if Platner remained on the ballot.
"Graham 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," they said.
Platner's campaign unraveled after Politico published allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman he was dating in 2021. Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident, told the outlet that Platner grabbed her forcefully and acted without her consent. Platner denied the allegation but acknowledged he was considering his political future.
The implosion of Maine's Senate race marked a dramatic reversal for a race that Democrats had viewed as their strongest pickup opportunity. Just months earlier, Schumer had backed Platner after the primary eliminated his preferred candidate, Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended her campaign before the June 9 primary. Platner, a progressive who rode a wave of newcomer candidates through the Democratic primary, was supposed to be the party's fresh-faced challenger to Collins.
Instead, his campaign became a catastrophic liability. Rep. Ro Khanna withdrew his endorsement, while Sen. Ruben Gallego rescinded his support. Maine's Democratic Party issued its own call for Platner to step aside. Two of his most prominent backers, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, had not publicly demanded his withdrawal as of Monday evening.
Under Maine law, Platner has until July 13 to withdraw. If he does, state Democrats would have two weeks to nominate a replacement candidate. Former state senator Troy Jackson, who finished third in the gubernatorial primary, emerged as a possible successor.
The crisis deepens an already difficult political landscape for Senate Democrats. Polls released July 1 showed Democrats competitive in six key races but not leading in enough contests to guarantee control of the chamber. The collapse in Maine, once viewed as a realistic path to Republican territory, has only worsened those odds.
Author James Rodriguez: "Schumer's nightmare is that a winnable seat just evaporated because his fallback choice turned out to be neither vetted nor ready for prime time."
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