A host of high-profile Democrats called for Graham Platner, the party’s nominee to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine in November’s election, to drop out of the race as they tried to save the party’s chances to retake the Senate majority.

In the wake of Politico’s explosive Monday report that an ex-girlfriend of Platner’s alleged he sexually assaulted her in 2021, the political newcomer’s supporters in Congress and Democratic circles in Washington, D.C., rescinded their endorsements and sought a new candidate in the race that is seen as crucial to Senate control. 

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it would pull all its resources from the race as long as Platner was the nominee, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for him to drop out and Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who gave a critical early boost to Platner in the race for the Democratic nomination, said he told Platner directly he should “step aside.”

Even Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said Platner should withdraw.

And key outside Democratic groups, including Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, and the Sanders-founded Our Revolution PAC, also withdrew their endorsements after the Politico report came out.

Platner has denied the accusation and, as of Tuesday afternoon, was still the Democratic nominee. But he raised the possibility he would leave the race Monday, saying in a short direct-to-camera video that he was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”

Under state law, he must withdraw by July 13, and the party would have until July 27 to replace him.

Four Senate seats

Monday and Tuesday, national Democrats seemed eager to move on from the oysterman and first-time candidate, who gained nationwide attention for both his energetic economic populist campaign and his personal scandals, in an effort to preserve one of the party’s best chances to pick up a Senate seat this year. 

Democrats need to flip four Senate seats to win control of the chamber, with Collins the only Republican up for reelection in a state President Donald Trump lost in 2024. 

Elections forecasters generally considered the Maine race a toss-up before the latest news about Platner.

The Cook Political Report rates a North Carolina seat being vacated by retiring Republican Thom Tillis as leaning toward Democrats, while Republican incumbents facing strong Democratic challengers in Alaska and Ohio are tossups, as is an open race to replace Democrat Gary Peters in Michigan.

If Collins wins reelection, Democrats would have to sweep those races and pick up at least one seat currently seen as favoring the GOP to tilt the balance in the Senate, now controlled by Republicans with 53 seats.

The national environment generally gives Democrats an advantage, given Trump’s poor poll ratings and trends that favor the party not in the White House in midterm elections. 

But Collins’ electoral strength — she outperformed Trump by 15 percentage points in 2020, the last time she was on the ballot, to remain the only New England Republican in the Senate — has beguiled Democrats for decades. 

Quick consolidation 

Replacing Platner and quickly coalescing around another candidate could be the party’s best chance to keep the map competitive.

Rodell Mollineau, a Democratic strategist and co-founder at D.C.-based ROKK Solutions, said Maine Democrats should be mindful of the party’s loss in the 2024 presidential race following the replacement of President Joe Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.

“A replacement could win if everyone gets on the same page quickly,” he said in a Tuesday interview. “Drawing from some of the lessons of 2024, it would be helpful if there could be a process where voters do not think that this person was thrust upon them and they had a choice.”

Several potential replacements have expressed interest since the Politico story published.

Former state CDC Director Nirav D. Shah, who finished second in the gubernatorial primary last month, said he had fielded “hundreds of encouraging messages” and that he was evaluating his next move.

Jordan Wood, who finished third in the primary for the U.S. House seat held by retiring Rep. Jared Golden, indicated he would appreciate consideration.

“If my fellow Maine Democrats decide through an open and democratic process that I am the best candidate to defeat Susan Collins, I would be humbled by their trust,” Wood said in a statement.

Our Revolution, which supports progressive candidates, warned “the Democratic establishment” to heed primary voters’ wishes if and when a replacement is selected. 

The Hill reported Tuesday the group is backing former state Senate President Troy Jackson, who finished third in the gubernatorial primary.

Spokespeople for Platner’s campaign did not return messages seeking comment Tuesday.

This story has been updated.

The Maine Democratic Party and several prominent state and national lawmakers are calling on U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner to drop out of the pivotal race to defeat Sen. Susan Collins after a Politico report of allegations of sexual assault against him.

That includes members of Congress who previously endorsed him, including U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts who both rallied with Platner ahead of the primary.

“I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna wrote on social media platform X. “These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”

Senate Majority PAC, also announced it was directing resources away from the Maine Senate race in light of the latest allegations. Majority Forward, the nonprofit arm of the super PAC had spent nearly $6 million in anti-Collins ads to help Platner as of June 9, the New York Times reported. Planned Parenthood Action Fund also withdrew its support, with President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson saying while the organization “remains committed to protecting access to care for Mainers and all Americans, we also unequivocally believe women.”

On Monday, Jenny Racicot, 41, who dated Platner on and off for two years, told Politico that he entered her home in 2021 uninvited while intoxicated and forced himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop. Platner denied the allegations, calling them categorically untrue. But he also said in a video on social media that he and his campaign are “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.” 

He postponed several campaign events scheduled for Sunday and Monday.

The oysterman and military veteran has faced a series of controversies during his campaign including alleged unsettling behavior toward previous romantic partners, but the accusations in the Politico story published on Monday amount to the most serious. 

The Maine Democratic Party referenced those allegations in its statement asking Platner to step down.

“The Maine Democratic Party leadership stands with women and survivors, and that principle does not bend based on party affiliation,” said Chair Charlie Dingman, Vice Chair Imke Schessler and Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson in a statement. “We respect the women who made the hard decision to come forward. Speaking up is often costly.”

Maine House of Representatives Speaker Ryan Fecteau also echoed those calls in a separate statement.

“Today’s revelations, on top of months of allegations and controversies, make it clear that Graham’s campaign cannot be successful,” he said. “The movement that Graham’s candidacy has inspired and helped build is one that has been needed for a long time. In order to carry the movement forward, to give power back to the people, and to defeat Susan Collins in November, I am calling upon Graham to drop out.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree along with her former competitors also rescinded their support. Pingree along with former Senate President Troy Jackson and Secretary of State Hannah Pingree touted Platner’s endorsement in the ranked-choice primary. On Monday night, all of them released statements urging him to withdraw. 

“Graham Platner tapped into something real — voters hungry for change showed up with real passion and energy,” Pingree said. “That energy doesn’t have to go away. It needs a new candidate to carry it forward.”

The latest accusation against Platner comes a week out from Maine’s ballot deadline, which his campaign said in a statement “is not a coincidence,” also pointing out that the earlier accusations of troubling behavior came out a week before the primary election. 

According to Maine law, a candidate can withdraw on or before the second Monday of July in an election year. A political action committee may make a replacement nomination for the general election, no later than 5 p.m. of the fourth Monday in July. 

If Platner does not withdraw 70 days before the election — which is Aug. 25 — his name will still appear on the ballot.