Graham Platner Drops Out of Maine Senate Race After Sexual...

Late Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that a different ex-girlfriend alleged that Platner repeatedly removed condoms without her consent when they were having sex, allegations the Platner campaign described as "categorically false and politically motivated.” The reports followed weeks of scrutiny over Platner’s past, including accounts of a difficult period after he returned from deployment. Party leaders met with him in Washington in June, where he assured them that no further damaging details would emerge. Two days later, the New York Times published a report, which included comments from Racicot. The Politico story added new details to Racicot’s account. Hours after Politico published its story, CNN aired an interview with Racicot. As she explained her relationship and described the alleged sexual assault, the on-screen caption read: “Woman Who Dated Graham Platner Says He Raped Her in 2021.” Maine had appeared to offer Democrats a rare opportunity. It is the only state that former Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024 that is represented by a Republican Senator running for re-election. (Republicans are defending a retiring Senator’s seat in North Carolina.) Yet Collins, a five-term incumbent, has held the seat by presenting herself as an independent-minded Republican while maintaining just enough support from her party’s base.