Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Graham Platner suspended his Maine Senate campaign amid sexual assault allegations.
- His withdrawal complicates Democrats' strategy in the Nov. 3, 2026, elections.
- Platner faced controversies, including offensive posts and alleged misconduct, denying accusations.
WASHINGTON — Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine suspended his campaign on Wednesday following a string of controversies, including an accusation of sexual assault, that have plunged one of the most competitive races in the 2026 midterm elections into turmoil.
The suspension by the former U.S. Marine and oysterman, in a video posted on social media, is likely to complicate Democrats' efforts to win control of the Senate in the Nov. 3 elections. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority.
The race in Maine, considered one of the Democrats' best pickup opportunities, will now focus on how the Democrats go about choosing a replacement candidate to take on incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.
Many Democrats had already questioned Platner's fitness for office before Politico reported on Monday that a woman accused him of forcing her to have sex with him nearly five years ago. CNN followed with a report that the woman accused him of entering her home without permission and raping her while he was intoxicated. Platner flatly denied the allegations.
On Tuesday, the Washington Post reported that a former girlfriend of Platner's said he repeatedly removed condoms during sex without her consent, an allegation that Platner's campaign called "categorically false and politically motivated."
Democratic leaders and Senator Bernie Sanders have called on Platner to withdraw from the race. Prominent members of Congress rescinded their endorsements of him and leaders of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they would withhold funding from the race if Platner remained on the ballot.
The departure may signal the end of Platner's rapid political rise, as he tapped into a current of progressive politics by promoting a universal national healthcare system and working-class themes while directing criticism at billionaires and concentrated wealth.
Platner has faced a series of other controversies, including offensive Reddit posts he apologized for and a now-covered tattoo that resembled a Nazi symbol. The Wall Street Journal reported that Platner's wife, Amy Gertner, had told the campaign her husband sent sexually explicit texts to several women early in their marriage. In a video message, Gertner said the two had a "great marriage."
Platner has acknowledged poor behavior in the past and asked for forgiveness, saying he struggled with alcohol abuse and mental health issues after military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
