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As Calls Mount for Graham Platner to Drop Out of Senate Race, What Happens Next in Maine?

2026-07-08 News & Politics
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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt Maine's Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner has yet to drop out of the race despite losing all major endorsements after a rape allegation by an ex-girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, who says Platner assaulted her in 2021. Platner has denied the claim. "There's no way to force Platner off the ballot; he has to make the decision," says Amy Fried, professor emerita of political science at the University of Maine. Platner would have to drop out of the race by Monday, "and then there's two weeks for the Maine Democratic Party to pick someone else." Fried discusses potential Democratic candidates to replace Platner and the legacy of Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins, against whom they would be running in November. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@dbarker7794 2026-07-08

Jake Tapper playing the role of "concerned, sensitive journalist." 😂

94 19 replies
@DanA-nl5uo 2026-07-08

Maine has ranked choice voting let someone else run as an independent and let the voters decide in November there is no spoiler effect with ranked choice voting

64 16 replies
@plapplop702 2026-07-08

Forget the man, what about the policies people voted for during the primary ? Will the DNC overthrow their will and force a corporate dem candidate to replace Platner ? How to prev ent this from happening ?!

53 28 replies
@GardenHermits 2026-07-08

I guess he won't drop out, otherwise he would run as an independent from the beginning. Susan Collins is the big issue.

10 1 replies
@Mr.Harvey-o7r 2026-07-08

By definition wtf is that?

9 6 replies
@Matthew-ci6vk 2026-07-09

The timing is weaponized. This investigation dropped exactly one week before the ballot deadline, strategically forcing a working class candidate out. There are ZERO criminal charges. No police reports have been filed, and there is no courtroom cross-examination. The 2023 texts are highly inconsistent. The accuser was casually texting "lol" and gossiping about his engagement status. This resembles messy dating drama, not the aftermath of a severe assault. The media claims private tech audits verified the 2021 emails, but the public is denied access to the raw files. Don't let unproven rumors veto Maine's primary votes. WHO IS CHEYENNE HUNT ANYWAY? What makes her credible? She is not still working for Public Citizen. AOC was an intern for Teddy Kennedy haha does that make her a Kennedy Democrat? I understand why Bernie dropped his endorsement because the movement is bigger than one candidate, but this smells fishy...

8
@ZacharyThoroman 2026-07-08

Better not miss.

3
@davidwhite2025 2026-07-08

I hate how the Democrats turned so fast knowing it's all AIPAC and the billionaires work 😢

3
@ibanezbob 2026-07-08

Drunk and driving sounds bad

2
@dvoravithanovsky6902 2026-07-08

Even amy forbore from asking whether the allegation has been thoroughly investigated. Pity

1

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