Democrats look to oust Graham Platner over sex assault allegation as Senate hopeful weighs dropping out and Fetterman leads chorus for him to step aside

By VICTORIA CHURCHILL, US POLITICAL REPORTER and STEPHEN M. LEPORE, US SENIOR REPORTER Published: 06:48, 7 July 2026 | Updated: 06:56, 7 July 2026 John Fetterman called Graham Platner 'a trash bag' as Democrats started to distance themselves from the troubled Maine Senate candidate following a sex assault allegation.  Platner denied former girlfriend Jenny Racicot's allegation on Monday but admitted he was considering dropping out and finding the 'best path forward' after the Politico report. Racicot further detailed her allegations on CNN Monday evening.  As several prominent liberals pulled their endorsements and demanded Platner drop out, Fetterman - who never supported Platner - went all in on both the candidate and his Democrat enablers. 'Any normal person could have seen what was coming, the kind of person it is now,' he told Fox News.  He specifically denounced Bernie Sanders and Pod Save America for pushing the oyster farmer despite the numerous scandals. 'I would really call Bernie Sanders to apologize for pushing this kind of predator more than anyone he helped him elect. Now apologize to the victims,' Fetterman said. 'Those Pod Save America people that pushed that dirt bag — they dismiss those things in The New York Times article — maybe they ought to apologize to the women that clearly they didn't believe or they dismissed.' Fetterman said that Racicot was courageous for speaking out against Platner. Troubled Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner (pictured) denied allegations of sex assault against him Monday John Fetterman (pictured) called Graham Platner 'a trash bag' as Democrats started to distance themselves from the troubled Maine Senate candidate He referred to Platner as 'a dead man walking politically' before delivering his most blunt statement.   'Any normal person could have seen what was coming, the kind of person it is now. I don't have anything to say to that trash bag.' Platner, 41, said in a video statement on Monday: 'I wanted to directly address the troubling, serious, and false allegations against me. Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false.' 'Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins,' he added.  'Those were the goals when I launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today.'  He canceled a handful of events on Sunday and Monday, and additional reporting has indicated that he may have fallen short of his Q2 fundraising goals.  Although Platner has long been controversial, the sexual allegation sparked a flight away from the candidate, who canceled a handful of town hall events.  The main campaign arm of Senate Democrats called on Platner to drop out and said it would spend no money on the race, which is considered critical to control of the chamber, if he is the nominee. Fetterman specifically denounced Bernie Sanders (pictured left) and Pod Save America for pushing the oyster farmer despite the numerous scandals Racicot (pictured) spoke again to CNN on Monday night, where she said that she 'absolutely' considers what Platner did to be rape 'Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins,' Kirsten Gillibrand, chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, said in a joint statement. The Democratic National Committee sent out an email soliciting money for Senate races hours after the Politico report posted, but Maine was not one of them. Ken Martin, the party chair, said, 'Maine Democrats should select a new nominee.' Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who stood by Platner even as the candidate faced previous controversies, said Monday's allegation was enough.  'I've been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,' Khanna said.  'These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.' Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren announced they were pulling their endorsements and called on Platner to drop out. The Democratic leaders of Maine's legislature and top officials at the state Democratic Party did the same. 'This Senate race comes at a pivotal moment in the struggle against a government, supported by Senator Collins, that serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary Maine people. It is essential that we refocus this campaign on that struggle,' party chair Charlie Dingman, vice chair Imke Schessler and executive director Devon Murphy-Anderson said in a joint statement. High profile Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York called on Platner to drop out Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner and his wife Amy Gertner Collins issued only a brief statement. 'These allegations are appalling,' she said. 'Nevertheless, it is not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate.' State law allows Platner to be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws by July 13. The replacement candidate must be named by July 27. Racicot spoke again to CNN on Monday night, where she said that she 'absolutely' considers what Platner did to be rape.  Jake Tapper asked Racicot: 'This is obviously been very difficult for you to talk about, for five years. And even when you're telling the story, you don't use the word. So let me just be — and I apologize — let me be as direct as I can. Did Graham Platner rape you?' 'Yes, absolutely,' responded Racicot.  'He violated multiple layers of consent that night by coming into my home, when I asked him not to. And by advancing on me when I told him not to. And — and furthermore, another incident that I had told him not to do, she added. She said that Platner's 'level of intoxication' made her 'afraid for my safety.' Although Platner has long been controversial, the sexual allegation sparked a flight away from the candidate, who canceled a handful of town hall events  Graham Platner with his Totenkopf tattoo, before he covered it up ''I just had to evaluate my safety and come up with the least worst outcome to this situation and so I felt like complying for my safety was the least worst option.'  Racicot, 41, told Politico she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years before the night when he showed up to her rural Maine home uninvited in 2021. She said that they exchanged messages that night and told him not to come over, but later that evening, she heard him letting himself into her unlocked house. Platner came upstairs to where she was sitting on the couch and appeared to be 'blackout drunk' when he ignored her protests and started 'grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me.' 'I had been telling him these words, like: 'No, don't,'' she told Politico. 'And, the look on his face and realizing what was happening, I just realized that, like, I am in a situation where there's no consent here.' Racicot claimed that she tried to get away from Platner by going to her bedroom, but he followed her inside and had sex with her against her will. She said he ejaculated inside her despite her asking him not to because she was not on birth control.  The alleged victim said that she went to the bathroom to clean herself up, and when she returned, Platner was already asleep. The following morning, she confronted him about the encounter, but Platner said he couldn't remember. She asked him to leave and never contact her again. The latest allegation is the most graphic, but Platner's campaign has been plagued with scandals since last fall. Platner has faced scandals since last fall, including the revelation of a Nazi tattoo that he has since covered up  Platner's Kik profile picture, viewed by the Daily Mail, showed the Democratic candidate posing shirtless and in only a towel Another ex, Lyndsey Fifield, described several instances of physical intimidation she experienced from Platner to the Times. Fifield, who worked for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said the two were in a 'two-year, on-again, off-again relationship.' Despite insisting that he 'never hit me, he never punched me,' Fifield said that Platner could become aggressive, particularly when alcohol was involved. She told The Times he would regularly grab her by the shoulders — sometimes leaving marks — and once pulled her from a taxi by her wrist during an argument. Fifield also recalled an incident in which he twisted her arm behind her back, pushed her into a bedroom, and held the door shut, telling her to stay there until she was 'calm.' Reflecting on the encounter, Fifield said, 'It hurt,' but also told the Times, 'It didn't cause an injury, it didn't break my arm.' Fifield also noted in her conversations that Platner would also speak about 'rape' in an odd and disturbing way. 'He said this a lot: If anybody ever broke in here, I would rape them,' she recalled, he added the act would be not be in 'a sexual way, not in a gay way.' Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who stood by Platner even as the candidate faced previous controversies, said Monday's allegation was enough The latest allegation is the most graphic, but Platner's campaign has been plagued with scandals since last fall 'He was like, I would rape them to show them that I'm dominant,' Fifield said. She also described how he kept an AR-15 lying around his Washington DC apartment and would sharpen an ax while watching television. A third woman, a Maine Democrat who asked the Times not to be named, described the candidate as charismatic at times but also prone to heavy bouts of drinking. She said she felt like 'collateral damage to the world that is his.' Democrats are hoping that Platner - an oyster farmer and Marine veteran dubbed one of the 'rugged guys' in the 2026 midterms - can win back working-class voters. He's looking to upset Republican Senator Susan Collins, but is facing major backlash from members of his own party who fear more scandals could emerge after the salacious texts were revealed. Platner has faced numerous scandals since last fall, including the revelation of a Nazi tattoo that he has since covered up. Fifield also told the Times that Platner knew what the tattoo meant and called it 'my Totenkopf.' Fifield explained to the Times that Platner clearly stated his unit saw themselves as killing machines and drew a parallel with the Nazi Schutzstaffel, or S.S. 'They literally, deliberately, selected it because it was relevant to their military unit,' she said. Controversial Reddit posts also emerged during the course of the campaign, which Platner himself has described as including 'homophobic slurs, anti-LGBTQ+ jokes and sexually explicit stories denigrating gay men' to the Advocate last year. Another recent controversy stemmed from revelations that Platner texted other women sexually while married, and the discovery of a shirtless profile on Kik. Platner has not denied the texts or the profile, describing the stories as 'gossip' and he and his wife have reaffirmed 'a very happy marriage.'  Some Democrats, notably, have soured on him. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman told CNN: 'What kind of a creep has been on a platform like Kik, sending a dozen explicit messages - and who knows what else.' Vermont's Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren have backed Platner despite all of his scandals. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters last month that he met with Platner during the candidate's visit to DC, adding, 'we're going to beat Susan Collins and take back the Senate.' Collins, the only Republican in the race, holds an independent streak that makes her both loved and feared. She also represents an endangered species: a Republican who represents a state traditionally carried by the Democratic presidential nominee.