Politics · Maine Senate nominee · ArchiveDemocratic Leaders Call on Maine Senate Nominee to Withdraw After Sexual Assault AllegationAired July 7, 2026 at 5:05 AM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Now to a political storm that erupted0:02overnight, one that could reshape the0:04battle for control of the United States0:06Senate.0:08Maine Democratic Senate nominee, Graham0:10Plathner, is fighting to keep his0:11campaign alive after a woman came0:13forward with a detailed allegation of0:15[music] sexual assault. And within0:17hours, the most powerful Democrats in0:19the country called on him to step aside.0:21[music]0:22The allegation was published Monday by0:24Politico.0:25Jenny Rascicot, [music]0:26a 41-year-old Maine resident and0:29registered Democrat, told the outlet0:31that Plathner sexually assaulted her in0:33late 20210:35>> [music]0:35>> when the two were in an on-and-off0:37casual relationship.0:39Rascicot [music] described Plathner0:41showing up uninvited at her rural home0:44heavily intoxicated [music]0:45after she had texted him not to come.0:48She said he entered through an unlocked0:49door and [music] forced her to have sex0:51despite her telling him to stop and0:53batting his arms away. When CNN asked0:56whether she considered it rape,0:58Rascicot answered without hesitation.1:00Plathner, a 41-year-old Marine Corps1:03veteran and oyster farmer who won the1:06nomination just last month, posted a1:08video denying the allegation. [music]1:11But he also acknowledged the damage,1:14saying he was taking time to reflect1:16[music] on the best path forward. The1:19party is not waiting.1:21Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer1:23and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who1:25chairs the Democratic Senatorial1:27Campaign Committee, issued [music] a1:29joint statement calling on Plathner to1:31immediately withdraw.1:33The DSCC made clear it will spend no1:35money on the Maine race if Plathner1:37remains the nominee.1:39And the endorsements [music]1:40fell like dominoes.1:42Senators Warren and Gallego,1:44>> [music]1:44>> Congressman Khanna, who called sexual1:46assault a red line, along with the Maine1:48Democratic Party and the progressive1:50group Our Revolution. [music]1:52Every major Democratic power center now1:55wants him out.1:56Maine is a seat Democrats have to win.1:59>> [music]2:00>> They need to flip four seats to retake2:02the Senate, and with Republican2:04incumbent Susan Collins on the ballot,2:06this race has been at the top of their2:08target list. Collins called the2:10allegations appalling, but said it is2:13not her role to choose the Democratic2:15nominee. The clock [music] is tight.2:18Under Maine law, Platner has until July2:2013th to withdraw for a replacement to be2:23named in time for the general election.2:26Three dates now driving [music] this2:27story, Monday's report, the July 13th2:30withdrawal cutoff, and the July 27th2:33deadline to name a replacement. [music]2:35Potential candidates already being2:37discussed include former state Senator2:39Troy Jackson and Secretary of State2:41Shenna Bellows.2:43>> [music]2:44>> This is not the first controversy to2:46engulf Platner's campaign.2:48He previously acknowledged getting a2:50chest [music] tattoo in 2007 that was2:52later identified as a Nazi symbol, the2:54so-called black sun, which he says he2:56has since covered. Resurfaced Reddit2:58posts from 2013 [music]3:00showed him making insensitive comments3:01about black and LGBTQ people,3:04>> [music]3:04>> including a post telling sexual assault3:05victims to, quote, "Just take some3:08responsibility for themselves."3:10And both the New York Times and the Wall3:12Street Journal have published reports3:15about his treatment [music] of former3:16romantic partners.3:18For now, Graham Platner says he is3:20weighing his options. [music]3:22But with the party's money, its3:24leadership, and its progressive wing all3:27arrayed against him, the question3:28[music] may not be whether he stays in3:30the race, but how quickly he steps3:32aside.Explore with HeyDex