Democratic US Senate candidate Graham Platner has lost the backing of some of the party's most prominent figures within 24 hours of a woman accusing him of rape, increasing pressure on him to withdraw from Maine's closely watched Senate race. Platner has denied the allegation, describing any accusation of non-consensual behaviour as 'categorically false'.
The political fallout gathered pace after Politico published interviews with Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who alleged Platner sexually assaulted her during an incident at her home in late 2021. Within hours of the report, Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer all called on Platner to step aside.
