Graham Platner drops his bid for Senate after facing an allegation of rape

Graham Platner drops his bid for Senate after facing an allegation of rape. Platner ends his Senate bid after allegation of rape. The scandal-ridden Senate campaign of Graham Platner in Maine has come to a screeching end, after a rape allegation caused nearly every one of his Democratic allies to withdraw their support. Platner made the announcement in a video posted to social media on Wednesday. "We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me. And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," he said. "This is incredibly difficult because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not," he continued. "We're not doing it because of the allegations. We're doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power." But the red line came in the form of a Politico article on Monday, which reported that Jenny Racicot, a woman who had previously had a relationship with Platner, alleges he entered her home in 2021, intoxicated and without her permission, and sexually assaulted her. Platner has denied the allegation, saying, "Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue." For more than 48 hours, Platner faced increasing pressure from fellow Democrats to withdraw speedily, facing an already-ticking clock. State election rules dictate that Platner would need to withdraw by Monday, July 13 in order for the state party to name a new nominee before the deadline of July 27.