THE SLICE -- Democratic nominee Graham Platner suspended his campaign for the U.S. Senate in Maine on Wednesday evening over a combination of rape, sexual misconduct and abuse allegations.
"I wanna make it clear this is all false. The claims that have been made are all false. They are not real, " he said.
He added that he and his wife were regular people who had no desire to run for office. They were asked.
Continuing, the beleaguered candidate said he learned about the allegations through press inquiries and had no time to defend himself against the pressure machine. He was campaigning to run against long time Republican Sen. Susie Collins. The political hopeful had amassed support fir his progressive brand of politics and drew attention i. The national politics but back-to-back
"Accusations are supposed to be the beginning of things, not the end." he argued while blaming corporate media for the rapid spread what he deems false accusations.
The Allegations That Sparked the Exit
The Rape Accusation:
A woman named Jenny Racicot went public on Monday, July 6, alleging that Platner entered her home uninvited while heavily intoxicated in late 2021 and sexually assaulted her. Another woman came forth saying they had an affair.
These major allegations compounded existing campaign scandals.
He claimed he is not quitting because the stories are true, but because the "political establishment" and "corporate media" acted as judge, jury, and executioner, effectively cutting off his structural and financial support.
Senators Bernie Sanders Elizabeth Warren, and Representative Ro Khanna all retracted their endorsements and urged him to step aside.
"Delaying" Ballot Removal:
Some democrats are saying Platner is delaying filing paperwork for official removal from the ballot to influence who will replace him. Under Maine election law, Platner has until Monday, July 13, 2026, to officially file his withdrawal paperwork. Doing so allows the party to replace him on the November ballot against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.