Graham Platner, the oyster farmer Democrats nominated to take on Sen. Susan Collins in Maine, pulled the plug on three scheduled town halls this weekend — in Augusta, Gorham, and Sanford — without offering a coherent explanation. The Gorham Democrats posted on Facebook that Platner was "not feeling well." He'd already left a July 4th parade in Eastport early after reportedly being hit with a water balloon, then no-showed at a subsequent parade in Machias.
The story at first was meant to be casual, that he was just canceling a few events. But now we know there more to this story all along and the full behind the scenes version has dropped. And WOW is it a doozy for Democrats! Better yet, it wasn't the New York Post who dropped the story — it was Politico, a left-wing mag dedicated to electing liberals!
Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine woman, told Politico that in 2021, Platner showed up at her home unannounced and drunk, entered uninvited, and forced himself on her over her objections. "He was grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," she said. The two had an on-again, off-again relationship for two years before the incident. Platner called the allegation "categorically false."
Then he released a video that suggested otherwise about his campaign's future. "Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we're taking the time to reflect on the best path forward," Platner said.
That is not what someone who plans to stay in a race sounds like. That is what someone does before they announce they're dropping out, which may happen by the time this piece reaches your inbox.
The fallout was immediate. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and DSCC chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand called the allegations "incredibly disturbing" and demanded Platner "immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee." Schumer made the financial stakes explicit: the DSCC will not spend money on the Maine race unless Platner steps aside and is replaced. Rep. Ro Khanna — who just this week was in the news for his own wealth tax proposals — pulled his endorsement: "I've been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line." Sen. Ruben Gallego withdrew his endorsement. End Citizens United called the allegations "profoundly disturbing and disqualifying" and pulled its support as well.
This came on top of a résumé of prior controversies that already included a sexting scandal involving explicit messages to multiple women, a Nazi-linked tattoo he has since covered up, domestic abuse allegations, and offensive Reddit posts. The New York Times had already published accounts from three women characterizing Platner's behavior as "unsettling" and in one instance physically threatening. The Politico story is the second major outlet in recent weeks publishing damaging accounts from women who knew him.
On the Kalshi prediction market, odds of Platner dropping out had already jumped to 9% Monday morning — up from 2% the week before. That was before the Politico story published.
The polling picture had already told a grim story. A Fox News poll conducted June 23-27 showed Collins leading 50% to 47%. A New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll from June 19-26 had Platner up 49% to 47%, but the internals were brutal: 47% of voters said Platner was "too extreme," compared to 34% for Collins. On character, Collins led 66% to 44%. On "right moral values," Collins led 61% to 44%.
Just days ago, Platner told MS NOW that "not once" has he considered dropping out. "We're dedicated to this, and it has never crossed our mind to drop out of this thing," he said.
That statement is now in direct tension with his own video.
The critical date is July 14 — Maine's deadline for a candidate to withdraw from the general election ballot. That's eight days away. With Schumer and the DSCC pulling financial support, Khanna and Gallego pulling endorsements, and a rape allegation now in the public record, the question is no longer whether the Democratic establishment wants Platner gone. They've answered that. The question is whether Platner agrees before the calendar makes it moot.
Here's what makes Platner's situation structurally different from your average scandal-plagued candidate who toughs it out: Collins has done this before. In 2020, not a single public poll showed her winning her reelection race. Quinnipiac had her opponent up by 12 points. She won 51% to 42%. The woman knows how to run in Maine, and Democrats know she knows. A damaged challenger isn't a challenge — he's a gift.
Platner won 70% of the primary vote. He had the endorsement of Sen. Elizabeth Warren. He was supposed to be the candidate who could finally retire Susan Collins.
Instead, his own party's Senate leader is calling for him to quit, his money is drying up, a Maine woman has accused him of rape, and the calendar ticks toward July 14 while he releases videos about "reflecting on the best path forward."
The best path forward, at this point, is probably the exit.
