Maine Democrats have until July 13 to find out whether they need a new Senate candidate, and until July 27 to name one, as pressure on Graham Platner to leave the race intensifies following a sexual assault allegation he has denied, according to CBS News.
Platner is the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking a sixth term in one of the most closely watched Senate races of the year. Support for his campaign collapsed after a Maine woman he had previously dated, Jenny Racicot, told Politico and CNN that Platner sexually assaulted her in 2021.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it would not invest in Platner's campaign. The Maine Democratic Party and top national Democrats have called on him to step aside. Platner denied the assault allegation on Monday.
He has faced scrutiny before. Previous controversies included allegations of sexually explicit texts, problematic posts on Reddit, and an admission that he once had a tattoo widely associated with a Nazi emblem. He has denied allegations of misconduct but apologized for several past comments, citing PTSD from his military service.
State law gives Platner until next Monday, July 13, to withdraw from the general election ballot. If he does, the Maine Democratic Party must select a replacement by July 27 at 5 p.m. State law does not specify how the party should conduct that selection.
Dan Shea, a political science professor at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, said the party would likely convene some form of nominating convention. "My guess is, they'll do the best they can to make it open and democratic. So it's going to be open and democratic and very efficient," Shea told CBS News. "Those don't usually go together."
The Maine Democratic Party has not disclosed its process for choosing a replacement. Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson said Tuesday that if a new nominee is needed, the process would be "open, transparent, and inclusive," with broad participation. The party has also accused Platner's team of trying to "put their thumb on the scale" to shape how that selection would work.
Several prominent Democrats have indicated interest in replacing Platner on the ballot if he withdraws. Platner has not publicly stated his plans.
