Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Maine, is facing a rape allegation that has led to the loss of key supporters, including Sen. Bernard Sanders and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Allegation and Fallout
A 41-year-old Maine resident, Jenny Racicot, has accused Platner of raping her in 2021. Platner has denied the allegations, but the pressure on him to quit the race is mounting. The Maine Democratic Party is working to set up a process to replace him on the ballot if he withdraws by Monday.
Several potential candidates have expressed interest in replacing Platner, including former state Senate President Troy Jackson, who has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to form an exploratory Senate committee.
Impact on the Race
The allegation has thrown the Democratic Party’s plan to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins into turmoil. Republicans are seizing on the opportunity, with Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, saying that the Democratic candidate in Maine will either be an alleged rapist or someone with similar values and vision.
Original reporting: WMAL (Washington DC) — read the source article.
