Democratic US Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing mounting calls to withdraw from Maine's closely watched Senate race after a former partner accused him of sexually assaulting her during an incident in 2021. Platner denied the allegation, describing any accusation of non-consensual behaviour as 'categorically untrue'.
The allegation was published by Politico after interviews with Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years. The publication said it reviewed contemporaneous emails, private messages and interviews with people Racicot had previously confided in that supported the timeline of her account.
The report prompted senior Democratic leaders and the Maine Democratic Party to urge Platner to withdraw before the state's 13 July deadline for replacing candidates on the ballot. The race is viewed as one of the Democrats' key opportunities to challenge Republican Senator Susan Collins in November's midterm elections.
Racicot's Account
Racicot said she met Platner through the dating app Bumble in 2019 and that the pair remained in an on-and-off relationship for more than two years before the alleged assault.
She alleged Platner entered her rural Maine home uninvited one evening in late 2021 after she had told him not to visit. Racicot said he appeared heavily intoxicated and ignored repeated objections before forcing himself on her. She said she later told Platner the encounter had not been consensual before ending all contact with him.
The publication reported it reviewed emails between Racicot and her therapist, as well as Facebook messages sent before Platner entered politics in which she warned another woman about his behaviour while drinking. It also spoke with a former partner and others Racicot said she had previously told about the alleged assault.
Platner denied the allegation in a statement, saying the 'allegations are troubling, serious, and false.'
In an exclusive interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Monday Jenny Racicot said that Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, entered her home without permission and raped her when they were in a casual dating relationship. Racicot said the incident happened… pic.twitter.com/Gf2mWtDVBT
— CNN (@CNN) July 6, 2026
Democrats Call for Withdrawal
Senior Democrats quickly called for Platner to withdraw, warning the controversy could jeopardise the party's chances in one of the country's most competitive Senate races.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand described the allegations as 'incredibly disturbing', saying violence, abuse and sexual assault were unacceptable. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee also said it would not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remained the party's nominee.
The Maine Democratic Party likewise called on Platner to withdraw, citing what it described as multiple serious allegations made against him in recent weeks.
Platner has not announced that he will leave the race. In a video statement published after Politico's report, he said he was taking time to consider 'the best path forward' while continuing to deny the allegation.
NEW: Graham Platner releases video moments after Politico dropped a report claiming he s*xually assaulted a woman he previously dated.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 6, 2026
41-year-old Maine resident Jenny Racicot told the outlet that Platner forced himself on her.
"I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being… pic.twitter.com/HLn3LlPSKr
Campaign Hit by Earlier Controversies
The latest allegation follows several controversies that have overshadowed Platner's campaign since he entered the race last year.
He previously faced criticism over a tattoo resembling the Nazi-era Totenkopf symbol, which he said he later covered after learning its historical significance. Historical Reddit posts in which he suggested victims of sexual assault should take greater responsibility if they became intoxicated also resurfaced during the campaign, prompting him to publicly apologise.
Platner has also denied previous allegations concerning his treatment of former partners. Despite repeated calls from senior Democrats to withdraw before Maine's 13 July ballot deadline, he has so far indicated only that he is considering his next steps while maintaining that the latest allegation is false.
