Democrats quickly turn on Platner after new sexual assault allegation

WASHINGTON - After months of defending Graham Platner's scandal-plagued Senate campaign, prominent Democrats quickly turned on the oyster farmer following a new sexual assault allegation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, the head of Senate Democrats' midterm operation, told him to immediately withdraw his candidacy.

They said the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, would not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner is on the ballot. A similar announcement was also made by Senate Majority PAC, Democrats' official Senate fundraising war chest. Both reversals amounted to a financial death knell for his campaign.

"The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable," Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint statement. "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."

The new accusation, from a Maine woman Platner previously dated who said he forced her to have sex with him nearly five years ago, quickly upended one of the most critical midterm races in the country to unseat a longtime Republican senator.

Platner denied the account, which came to light after reporting in Politico and CNN on Monday, July 6. He said that "any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue."

The fallout on the national political stage was swift. State leaders in the Maine Democratic Party immediately called on him to withdraw his candidacy.

"We are entrusted with deciding who represents our values and who carries our banner," they wrote in a statement. "That responsibility requires judgment, leadership, and a willingness to act when circumstances demand it."

In a video statement following the new reporting, Platner said he would be reassessing his campaign, but he did not immediately step aside.

"Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward," he said.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, a big-name progressive who, like other Democrats, stood by Platner amid previous scandals and stumped for him, urged him to drop out of the race.

"I've been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line," Khanna said in a statement. "These allegations are very serious and credible."

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, said the accusations, which were made by a woman named Jenny Racicot, were "troubling and deeply serious." He said on social media he was rescinding his endorsement, but he did not initially explicitly say Platner should step aside.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-New Mexico, said in a statement: "These are very serious allegations and they should be treated as such."

Key Democratic Senate candidates spurned Platner, too. Rep. Haley Stevens, who is running in the moderate lane in battleground Michigan, said there "should be no room for this conduct in the U.S. Senate or any public office." Alex Vindman, the hopeful to unseat Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in Florida, said Platner should "immediately drop out."

Democrats could potentially replace Platner, but they'd have to move quickly. Under Maine law, he would need to drop out by Monday, July 13. After that, a new candidate would need to declare their candidacy by Monday, July 27.

Zachary Schermele is the congressional correspondent for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Democrats quickly turn on Platner after new sexual assault allegation

Reporting by Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 7:28 PM.