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Platner confirms he's taking time to consider future of Maine Senate bid
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Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee in Maine's Senate race, said he is "taking the time" to consider his next steps after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021.
Key facts
- Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee in Maine's Senate race, said he is "taking the time" to consider his next steps after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021
- Platner was responding to a story in Politico that included a detailed account of alleged sexual assault from a 41-year-old Maine woman, Jenny Racicot, who says she supports Platner's politics
- Even before Monday's report, Democratic strategists and elected officials worried that Platner had too much baggage to defeat Collins, and that his candidacy would doom the party's chances
- Platner weathered the controversy and went on to win Maine's Democratic Senate primary days later
Summary
Platner, who denied the allegation, stopped short of saying he would end his campaign, but indicated he is weighing its future as he seeks to unseat Republican Sen. Politico reported Monday that a woman who dated Platner says he forced her to have sex with him nearly five years ago despite her reported objections. "Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," Platner said in a video posted on X. "Those were the goals they launched this campaign with, and they remain their goals today.