Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chair Kirsten Gillibrand called on Graham Platner to "immediately withdraw" from Maine's US Senate race after Politico published an on-the-record sexual assault allegation against him. The Guardian reported their joint statement on July 7, 2026, alongside similar calls from Maine's state Democratic party leadership.

The allegation came from Jenny Racicot, 41, a Maine resident who told Politico she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years. She said that in late 2021, an intoxicated Platner entered her home without permission and forced himself on her despite her repeated objections. Politico's July 6 report included corroborating accounts from someone Racicot confided in, recent therapist emails, and 2023 messages in which she warned an acquaintance about Platner. Politico

Platner, an oyster farmer and former Marine who won Maine's June 9 Democratic primary, denied the allegation in a statement to Politico, calling it "troubling, serious, and false." He later posted a video on X repeating that language. His primary victory positioned him as the Democratic nominee facing Republican incumbent Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. Ballotpedia

The Maine Democratic Party's statement went further than the single allegation in Politico's report. Party leadership said they had learned that "multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner" over recent weeks. Maine Democratic Party The party did not name these additional accusers, but the disclosure suggests that Racicot's account is not the only concern being discussed within Democratic circles.

Democratic endorsements evaporated quickly. Rep. Ro Khanna of California withdrew his endorsement, calling the allegations "very serious and credible," and Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona did the same. Politico Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who had backed Platner in March, said he should "step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race" — language that separates the political question from the underlying legal and personal one.

Schumer and Gillibrand added pressure by announcing that the DSCC—the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which funds party candidates nationally—would not spend money on the Maine race as long as Platner remains on the ballot. Politico posted this to X. In a state where outside spending typically determines whether a challenger can compete against an entrenched incumbent like Collins, this financial withdrawal significantly narrows Platner's electoral prospects, independent of how the allegations are ultimately resolved.

Platner's public response has evolved since the story broke. Beyond denying the allegation, he posted a statement saying he was "taking the time to reflect" on his candidacy—language that stops short of an announcement either way but that Democratic officials in Maine and Washington are treating as a possible opening. Politico

Anticipating a potential withdrawal, the Maine Democratic Party issued a separate statement on July 7 outlining the mechanics of a possible nomination replacement process. Maine Democratic Party State parties operate under specific legal rules and narrow timeframes for replacing a nominee after a primary. The timing of any withdrawal matters greatly: the closer it comes to ballot certification deadlines, the fewer viable options the party has to field a credible candidate before November.

For national Democrats, the stakes extend well beyond Platner. Maine is among the handful of states the party views as essential to regaining Senate control in the 2026 midterms. A drawn-out scandal risks draining resources and media attention from a race Democrats hoped to make competitive against Collins. The speed and breadth of withdrawal calls—from the Senate leader's office down to individual House members who had endorsed him—reflects a party leadership calculation that the reputational cost of supporting Platner now outweighs whatever political value his primary win provided.

What unfolds next rests largely on decisions Platner has not yet announced. He has not said whether he will withdraw, and no criminal charges have been reported in connection with Racicot's allegation as of this writing. The Maine Democratic Party's mention of additional, unnamed accusers leaves open the possibility that further public accounts could surface. If they do, that development would likely intensify pressure on Platner regardless of his response to Racicot's specific claims.