Top Dems Call for Platner to Drop Out of Race

Top figures in the Democratic Party have called on Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner to abandon his campaign after an ex-girlfriend accused him of sexual assault.

Read more MTG Offers Wild Theory About Mitch McConnell’s Wife

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders, one of Platner’s earliest and most prominent supporters, said he should step aside after the latest allegations against the 41-year-old.

Racicot told the outlet she had texted Platner that night, telling him not to come over because she “wasn’t in the mood for company.” Later that evening, she said she heard someone enter her unlocked home and realized Platner had let himself inside.

She alleged that Platner, who appeared “almost blackout drunk,” climbed on top of her while she repeatedly told him “no” and “don’t.” She said he ignored her objections before following her into her bedroom and forcing her to have sex.

“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told POLITICO. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”

“I had been telling him these words, like: ‘No, don’t,’” she said. “The look on his face and realizing what was happening, I just realized that… there was no consent here.”

Platner has denied the allegation.

“These allegations are troubling, serious, and false,” he said in a statement. “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”

Sanders said despite Platner’s denial, he had advised him to exit the race,

“I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders said. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.” are the latest prominent Democrats to call on Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner to abandon his campaign.

Mamdani, whose victory in New York City’s mayoral race last year made him one of the Democratic Party’s most influential voices, said ending Platner’s campaign was the “only appropriate response” to the allegation.

“I believe that it’s time for him to drop out of the race,” Mamdani told reporters at New York City Hall on Tuesday. “I think that the only appropriate response is for the campaign to come to an end.”

When asked whether the controversy could have broader consequences for the progressive movement, the mayor declined to weigh in.

“I think the focus of today should be on the campaign coming to a close,” he said. “I think there will be many more days to have conversations about what it means beyond that.”

Although Mamdani never endorsed Platner, several of his closest advisers—including strategist Morris Katz and press secretary Joe Calvello—played leading roles in the Maine Democrat’s campaign.

Read more MAGA Accuses Republicans of ‘Cover-Up’ on Mitch McConnell’s Health

Sanders, in particular, had stood by Platner through a string of controversies that stained his campaign. Platner previously apologized for old Reddit posts that included homophobic slurs and comments dismissing military sexual assault.

Platner also faced scrutiny over a tattoo resembling the Nazi-linked Totenkopf symbol that he later covered up, saying he was unaware of its meaning.

Earlier this year, reports also surfaced that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with multiple women during the early years of his marriage. His wife, Amy Gertner, dismissed the allegations as “gossip” while publicly defending her husband.

Platner’s campaign also accused “out-of-state establishment operatives” of coordinating the accusations to derail his campaign just days before Maine’s deadline for replacing a Senate nominee.

If Platner drops out by Monday, Maine’s Democratic Party could still appoint a new candidate ahead of the November midterms even though the primary has passed. The state party would then have until July 27 to choose its replacement candidate.

Former Maine Senate president Troy Jackson, who was endorsed by Sanders in Maine’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, is openly considering a bid to replace Platner.

Jackson filed paperwork on Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission to form a Senate exploratory committee and told the Bangor Daily News he believes he is the “best person” to fill Platner’s shoes.

“This is something I never considered, but if Graham’s stepping away, I am very, very interested and think I’m the best person to replace him,” Jackson said on Monday as he called for Platner to withdraw from the race.

Nirav Shah, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, a former Maine House speaker who finished second in the governor’s race, said in a social media post on Tuesday that he was also considering running.

Other potential replacements include former Maine state senator Shenna Bellows, Maine Beer Company co-founder Dan Kleban, and former Democratic staffer Jordan Wood.

The call from Mamdani and Sanders for Platner to drop out follows similar calls from others in the Democratic Party, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and Sen. Ruben Gallego.

The Democratic Party’s Senate campaign has also withdrawn its financial support, leaving Platner increasingly isolated in the days before the deadline to replace him on the November ballot.

Read more Trump Goon’s Make-a-Wish NASA Experience Exposed