A woman who says she dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner alleges he forced her to have sex after she told him to stop. Platner denies the accusation, says he is considering next steps, and has canceled some campaign town halls as party rules
For days, the campaign schedule in Maine looked built for motion—town halls, community stops, the steady work of persuading voters.
Then a new allegation landed, and the political calendar started to feel like damage control.
A woman who previously dated Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner says he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a Politico report released Monday. Platner denied the allegation and said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.
In a video posted on social media, Platner said: “Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”
The woman, Jenny Racicot, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while he was drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she and Platner had been in an on-and-off relationship, but she cut off contact after the night in question. She also said she told him the incident wasn’t consensual.
A voicemail left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response. An email and phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment were sent to Platner’s campaign on Monday.
Platner, in his video, said: “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false.”
As the allegation circulated, public campaigning began to contract. As of Monday, Platner had canceled a handful of campaign town halls planned in Maine.
Supporters and allies—groups that had backed Platner during the push to become the Democratic nominee—also faced a sudden pause. Sen. Bernie Sanders and the organization he founded, Our Revolution, as well as Rep. Ro Khanna, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The timing also matters because Platner has already secured the nomination to become Maine’s Democratic Senate candidate. State law does include a path for Democrats to replace him ahead of the general election.
Under the statute described in the reporting, party officials may select a new nominee if a candidate who won the primary withdraws by 5 p.m. on July 13. The replacement candidate must be named by July 27.
That leaves a narrow window for decisions—on the campaign side, on the party side, and for voters trying to separate what was alleged from what will be proven as the process moves forward.
Graham Platner Maine Senate sexual assault allegation Jenny Racicot Democratic nominee Our Revolution Bernie Sanders Ro Khanna campaign town halls replacement nominee July 13 July 27