Graham Platner, the Democratic party's nominee for Senate in Maine, ended his campaign today amid allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2021.  We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me,  Platner said in a video.  And for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations. 

Democrats will now have to select a replacement candidate for the November election against incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins.

In the 11-minute video, which he posted to social media, Platner repeatedly denied the accusations made against him, while calling on Maine voters to continue the fight.  I learned about this through press inquiries with no time to truly respond,  he said.  No time for investigations before a corporate media system and the political establishment got to act as judge, jury, and executioner.  He noted that he wasn't sure what would happen with the nomination, but that voters should stay true to the ideals his campaign represented.  What comes next,  he said,  needs to come from the people of Maine, needs to come from the voters who on June 9… voted for a politics that would actually represent them, voted against the political system, against the donor class, against the entrenched forces. 

Though his progressive politics struck a chord with voters, his campaign has suffered numerous setbacks. After months of increasingly concerning reports regarding Platner's past behavior - including controversy over a Nazi tattoo and reports of mistreating his former romantic partners - Politico reported on Monday that Platner had allegedly assaulted a former girlfriend after barging into her home uninvited while drunk.

Jenny Racicot, a Maine resident, told outlets she had an on again, off again relationship with Platner for a period of about two years. She described to Politico an alleged 2021 incident in which Platner arrived at her home  almost blackout drunk,  after she specifically told him not to come over. She said he let himself in and forced her into sex while ignoring her protests. Racicot further alleged that Platner had unprotected sex with her despite not 

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