Maine Senate candidate Platner denies sexual assault allegation but weighs path forward for campaign

In a statement on social media, Platner said his team was "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward." He added: "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 did not indicate whether he was considering suspending or ending his campaign.

His campaign pushed back more sharply, calling the allegations "coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives" and describing them as "very serious." The campaign also issued a broader statement of purpose, saying: "Graham began this campaign to fight for a Maine where everyone is treated with dignity and where Mainers are put first, and no amount of desperate smears will stop this movement from seeing that vision through."

Earlier reports and prior controversies

The Politico story is not the first damaging report about Platner to surface this year. In June, The New York Times published accounts from three women who previously had romantic relationships with Platner and characterized his behavior as "unsettling," describing him as demeaning toward women and, in one instance, physically threatening. In response to the Times reporting, Platner took responsibility for what he called a "very dark period of my life," said he had often abused alcohol, and described himself as "a far from perfect boyfriend," while adding that "any characterization beyond that is false, and I believe, politically motivated."

Days before the Times story was published, The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner had exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women toward the start of his marriage. Platner's campaign has confirmed the Wall Street Journal's account.

Platner has also faced other controversies. Last fall, old, deleted Reddit posts of his resurfaced showing him making insensitive comments about Black and LGBTQ+ people and disparaging sexual assault victims. He also acknowledged that in 2007 he unknowingly got a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol; he said he was unaware of the symbol's association at the time and has since covered up the tattoo.

Democratic leaders demand withdrawal

The allegations have roiled the Democratic establishment. Within hours of the reports' publication, Democratic Party leaders in Maine called on Platner to drop out of the race. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), issued a statement on the Maine Senate race. The DSCC announced that it "will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot." Members of Congress have also withdrawn their support for Platner's candidacy.

Platner, who launched his Senate campaign last August, is a military veteran who has spoken about his past struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In an interview with NPR at the end of May, he said: "It's very clear that here in the state of Maine, the voters really do understand that I am who I claim to be. I'm a very real person, warts and all. If people in the Democratic Party in other states don't like me, that's not really my problem." NPR has stated that it has not independently verified the sexual assault allegations against Platner.

Stakes for Senate control and the Maine ballot

The political stakes are unusually high. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the U.S. Senate, and Democrats would need a net gain of four seats to take majority control of the 100-member chamber. Platner's seat is one of the most closely watched targets in Democrats' effort to win the majority; the incumbent, Republican Susan Collins, is seeking another term, and President Donald Trump lost Maine in the 2024 election.

Under Maine elections law, a "political committee" would have until the fourth Monday in July, which this year is July 27, to select a replacement candidate. Platner would need to end his Senate bid by July 13 in order for Maine Democrats to nominate a replacement in time for the general election. The midterm elections are scheduled for November 3.

As of Monday, Platner had not said publicly whether he would stay in the race. His statement focused on reflection rather than a definitive answer, leaving open the question of whether Democrats will have a contested nominee against Collins or face a scramble to find a replacement in the weeks before the filing deadline.