A woman who once had a romantic relationship with Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner is accusing him of sexually assaulting her while he was intoxicated, despite her telling him to stop, according to a report published Monday by Politico.
Platner pushed back against the allegation and indicated he is evaluating what comes next for his campaign. In a video posted to social media, he 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 making the accusation, Jenny Racicot of Maine, told Politico that Platner came into her home drunk in 2021 and assaulted her. Racicot said the two had been in an on-and-off relationship at the time, but she ended all contact with him after that night and made clear to him that what happened was not consensual.
The Associated Press attempted to reach Platner’s campaign for comment via email and phone on Monday. In his social media video, Platner stated, “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false.”
By Monday, Platner had called off several campaign town hall events that had been scheduled across Maine.
Platner won the Democratic nomination for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat last month. However, state law does allow the party to swap in a different candidate before the general election. Under that provision, party officials could choose a replacement if Platner withdraws by 5 p.m. on July 13, with any replacement candidate needing to be named no later than July 27.
