Graham Platner suspending U.S. Senate campaign after controversies

UPDATE, 9:56 p.m.:
Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner suspended his campaign late Wednesday night. The move came after repeated calls from state and national Democratic leadership that he bow out due to a host of controversies, including an allegation of sexual assault from a former girlfriend.

What did Platner have to say? In an 11-minute video statement posted to social media, Platner continued to deny the allegations and insisted the decision was not an admission of guilt. Instead he blamed what he described as a corporate media system and a political establishment that he said took away his campaign's ability to fundraise and access  voter data. He said the allegations were strategically timed to take out his campaign before he officially became the Democratic nominee on July 13.

Platner appeared to become emotional at one point and said that if what he characterized as the grassroots movement behind him were to continue, “it can’t be me,” on the ballot. 

He said he intended to file the paperwork necessary to withdraw from the race, and called for the process to replace him on the ballot to reflect the desires of voters who want, “a different kind of politics.” He went on to insist that the election be conducted in a way that is open, transparent, and democratic. 

Original story:

The campaign team for Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has repeatedly contacted the state’s Democratic party to discuss the process of Platner leaving the race, according to party leadership. The Democratic nominee faced serious backlash this week after at least one former girlfriend accused him of sexually assaulting her.

The Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson released a Tuesday video update claiming that Platner’s team was repeatedly contacting the state party in order to influence the process for choosing a replacement candidate. Murphy-Anderson characterized the inquiries as an attempt by Platner’s team to put their thumb on the scale and help choose the next candidate. Platner’s team will have no role in choosing the next Democratic nominee, nor will they impact how that process plays out, she said.

The state Democratic Party formally called for Platner to resign in a Monday statement, reporting that multiple women made serious and credible accusations against Platner over the last few weeks. Platner must suspend his campaign so that state Democrats can regroup and continue focusing on unseating Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Murphy-Anderson argued. Various Democratic leaders across the nation have called for Platner to leave the race, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin.

Over a dozen Democratic lawmakers have also released statements calling on Platner to end the campaign, including New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim, California Sen. Adam Schiff, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, Maryland’s Rep. Jamie Raskin, and California’s Rep. Ro Khanna. Multiple advocacy groups also pulled their support for Platner, including End Citizens United, Veterans for Responsible Leadership, National Nurses United, and the Working Families Party.

Commentators and online users also pointed to past controversies involving Platner, including an allegedly anti-Semitic symbol tattooed on his chest and past inappropriate comments made online. In response to the backlash, Platner canceled several campaign events scheduled in the state. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., said he personally spoke with Platner about the best path forward and advised the nominee to step aside, according to a Tuesday statement.

How has Platner responded to the accusations? The nominee released a two-minute video on Monday characterizing the accusations against him as troubling, serious, and completely false. Any accusation that he engaged in nonconsensual behavior is categorically false, he insisted.

Platner reiterated the need for state Democrats to come together and remain focused on the goal. People are united in the belief that politics need to change, and because of that, his campaign received the largest volunteer base in the state’s history, he said. Regardless of what he characterized as the inaccurate reporting going around, Platner said he remained focused on the path forward and defeating Collins.