Democrats are accusing their embattled Maine Senate nominee, Graham Platner, of trying to influence who would replace him if he drops out of the race after facing rape allegations.
Platner is being pushed by the Democratic party to drop out of the race after ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot accused Platner of entering her home in the middle of the night and raping her in 2021. Democrats have been looking for a new nominee and Devon Murphy-Anderson, executive director of the Maine Democratic Party accused Platner’s team of trying to “put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like,” CNN reported Tuesday.
“We have reiterated that Graham Platner must drop out of this race so that Democrats in Maine can focus on defeating [Republican Maine Sen.] Susan Collins this November,” Murphy-Anderson said according to the outlet.
Collins has served in the Senate since 1997 and remains the only Republican in the upper chamber representing a state Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024.
“The Maine Democratic Party has been working around the clock to develop a process to replace our US Senate nominee that is open, inclusive, transparent, and fair,” Murphy-Anderson said in a X video released Tuesday night.
Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
“While Graham wouldn’t want to be a part of the process, he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision- not the political establishment,” a spokesperson for Platner’s campaign told CNN.
Platner is being pushed by the Democratic party to drop out of the senate race, and several democrats have retracted their endorsement of Platner calling for him to quit the race.
However, a survey that was sent out as a text blast for Platner’s volunteers in Maine asks them to provide messages for both the candidate and the Democratic Party.
“We firmly believe that the supporters and volunteers who built this movement deserve to have a real role in any nomination process,” the message on the survey states. “If the Democratic Party hopes to harness our movement, and avoid disillusioning the hundred of thousands of supporters who came into the fray because of our movement’s policies, it must consult the feedback and proposals of the people who built and sustained this.”
“We will review every submission and share it with the Party,” it adds.
Platner has vociferously denied his allegations saying, “these allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation on non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue,” in a statement to Politico.
The Democrat has faced several allegations of misconduct during his campaign including reports in June that he had “intimidating and disturbing” behavior to his ex-girlfriends. A statement from Racicot was taken at that time but she did not reveal any allegations of rape during the report.
Platner will have to drop out of the race by July 13 in order for Democrats to be able to pick a replacement nominee.
(DCNF)