Graham Platner urged to drop out of Senate race following bombshell rape allegation by ex-girlfriend

 

The battle for control of the U.S. Senate was thrown into limbo on Monday following a bombshell rape allegation against the Democrat nominee in Maine, Graham Platner.

According to a report published by POLITICO, a Maine woman named Jenny Racicot, 41, alleges that Platner, 41, entered her home without permission in late 2021 while highly intoxicated and forced her to have sex with him — despite her “repeated, explicit objections.”

She later expanded on her claims during a detailed interview with CNN, recounting the specific events of that night.

Racicot, who had previously been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner after meeting him on a dating app in 2019, explained further that she cut off all contact immediately following the incident and informed him that their sexual encounter was not consensual.

 

“One of the reasons I didn’t come forward sooner was, the huge moral conflict that I had between supporting his politics, but not supporting him as a person,” she told the press. “I just want the truth out there. I just want people to have a whole scope of who he is as a person.”

In an exclusive interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Monday Jenny Racicot said that Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, entered her home without permission and raped her when they were in a casual dating relationship. Racicot said the incident happened… pic.twitter.com/Gf2mWtDVBT

— CNN (@CNN) July 6, 2026

Jenny Racicot tells Jake Tapper there is zero chance Graham Platner could have believed the encounter was consensual.

She says he was apologizing during the incident while coming in and out of reality from being blackout drunk.

TAPPER: “You normally use protection?”

RACICOT:… pic.twitter.com/JLooiUa6Kf

 — Overton (@overton_news) July 6, 2026

The revelation comes just a week before a critical July 13^th ballot deadline, which represents the final opportunity under state law for Platner to voluntarily withdraw from the race and allow the Maine Democrat Party to select a replacement nominee for the November general election.

Platner, a combat veteran and left-wing progressive who secured the nomination in June after an insurgent campaign that drew widespread national attention, has adamantly denied the claim, calling it completely fabricated.

In a video statement released on social media shortly after the story broke, Platner said that any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false and dismissed the report as a coordinated smear by establishment political operatives.

 

Nonetheless, Platner acknowledged the devastating political reality of the situation and announced that he and his team are now taking time to reflect on the best path forward.

“These allegations are very serious and Graham vigorously denies them. They are also coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives. 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. It is not a coincidence that this story comes a week before the ballot deadline, just as the previous false allegations came a week before the primary. Graham began this campaign to fight for a Maine where everyone is treated with dignity and where Mainers are put first, and no amount of desperate smears will stop this movement from seeing that vision through,” Platner’s campaign responded to the allegations.

 

The campaign also immediately postponed multiple public events as senior staff reportedly hunker down to assess the long-term viability of his bid to unseat veteran Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins.

The fallout from the allegation has been instantaneous and severe, triggering a rapid wave of defections from a number of Democrats who had previously stood by Platner through a series of other campaign controversies.

Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) officially withdrew their endorsements on Monday afternoon, with Khanna stating that the “very serious and credible” allegations crossed a definitive red line and that Platner must drop out of the race. 

 

I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.

— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) July 6, 2026

In a joint statement, Senate Democrat leader Chuck Schumer and Democrat Senatorial Campaign Committee chair Kirsten Gillibrand emphasized that Platner should “immediately withdraw”.

“The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable,” they stated. “The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.”

Within hours, the executive leadership of the Maine Democrat Party also issued a formal statement urging their nominee to step down immediately to focus on his family and personal well-being.

Since the sought after Maine Senate seat is widely considered an absolute must-win for Democrats hoping to reclaim the chamber, the party now faces a tight timeline to convince Platner to step aside before the 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time deadline next Monday, which would trigger a two-week window for party officials to choose a new candidate to anchor the ticket.