Under the relentless pressure of the Democratic Party establishment, Democratic Socialist Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner ended his campaign on Wednesday evening, July 8, 2026, following allegations of sexual assault. Platner vehemently denied the accusations but stated he was suspending operations to avoid further damage to his movement.
The news came via recorded video posted on social media, just a little more than 48 hours after Politico published a story containing allegations from an ex-girlfriend that an intoxicated Platner had entered her home uninvited in 2021 and sexually assaulted her. He has denied the allegation.
Platner, who had been championed by liberal stalwarts like Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, was his party's chosen challenger to unseat five-term Senator Susan Collins – the only Republican in Congress representing a state that Democrats won in the 2024 presidential election.
Following the reports, high-profile Democrats – even including his early Far Left facilitators like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Far Left California Congressman Ro Kahanna – withdrew their support.
Platner's exit leaves Democrats with a critical challenge in the race to unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins. Under Maine law, Platner must officially withdraw by 5 p.m. on July 13 to permit the Maine Democratic Party to select a substitute candidate.
In announcing the end of his campaign, Platner said he was not stepping down because of the allegation.
"We're doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power," he added, saying he would not formally file paperwork to withdraw until he's assured his replacement will be selected in a "open and democratic" way.
"So much of Platner's base, whose passion Democrats are going to want to have, will sit on their hands and be very angry if it looks like this is another case of the establishment triumphing over what the people want," said James Melcher, a professor of politics at the University of Maine at Farmington, told the BBC.
The BBC reported tensions between that base and the establishment go back to Platner's success against Janet Mills, the Maine governor who was handpicked by Democratic leaders as the best chance to unseat Collins. She suspended her campaign in April in the face of his campaign juggernaut.
Maine’s Democratic State party chair Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a statement on Wednesday, quoted by the BBC, that the Platner campaign was trying to "manipulate" the process for selecting a new nominee – an accusation Platner's side denied. They countered they want an open process and not the coronation of an "establishment-backed" candidate.
Murphy-Anderson also went on to call Platner's supporters "a vital part of our party" and say they "deserve to participate in an open process to select Platner's replacement."
While Platner said he would formally withdraw, the sometimes-combative tone of his video suggested that he may yet delay doing so to further press the state party to give his supporters a more prominent role in choosing the next nominee.
However, with Platner's exit, a group of more traditional candidates are already expressing interest in stepping in – including a handful who unsuccessfully ran for governor and one of the state's open House seats last month. They have recent campaign experience and some name recognition, noted Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent for the BBC.
Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate leader, campaigned side-by-side with Platner during his bid for governor, and came in third.
Nirav Shah, a state epidemiologist who gained prominence through regular public appearances during the Covid pandemic, finished a close second.
Shenna Bellows, the Maine secretary of state, is known for her lawsuit to block Trump administration attempts to gain access to state voter data. She was the party's nominee in 2014 but was soundly beaten by Collins, observed the BBC.
After crushing the primary with 72% of the vote and driving the sitting governor out of the race, the insurgent progressive campaign has completely imploded following a string of major scandals and serious abuse allegations, that leading Democrats ignored while Platner was doing well in the polls.
Now, a massive backroom battle is underway to select his replacement. The progressive base is already furious, warning the establishment not to ignore their grassroots movement, meaning with Platner out, his replacement will be as far to the Left, or further, than he is, just without Platner’s baggage.
