A woman who previously dated Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop, according to a Politico report released Monday, leading prominent supporters to pull their endorsements and throwing a must-win race for the party into turmoil.
Platner denied the allegation, but said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.
“Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,” he said in a video released on social media.
Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner, but she cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident wasn’t consensual. A voicemail left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response.
Platner’s campaign did not immediately respond to an email and phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.
“Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false,” Platner said in his video.
Still, the allegation sparked a flight away from a candidate who has long been controversial. Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who’d stood by Platner even as the insurgent candidate was hit with prior allegations, said Monday’s 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.”
Don’t mistake questioning the timing with not believing it happened.
She comes out with it now, one week before the deadline instead of during the primary? Or at any other time since 2021?
When the first allegation came out, that would have been a perfect time to #MeToo! and she did not. She could have dropped it with the Nazi tattoo stuff “Oh, yeah, not just a Nazi, but a rapist too!”
It likely happened the way she described it, and It will absolutely tank his candidacy, but the timing smells. She SHOULD have killed him in the primary.
She said she didn’t want to come out because of people like you. She also didn’t want to be seen as a victim. She has messages dating all the way back to as many women as she could tell, be careful dating him. She has proof you’re just a rape apologist
People like me saying “Don’t wait! Do it now!”? I’m fully supportive that she came forward, but she literally picked the worst time to do it.
She had the opportunity to stop him before he ever got this far, and only choosing to do it now, even true, adds suspicion to the accusation where there should be none.
You know the accusations can be true and still have a political agenda? Like victims are people with all the same potential flaws as anyone. Its almost as if you think they are perfect people without agency who can’t do anything.
Hell let the lady have a hobby if both are true. She can be correct in her accusations and want to destroy him politically.
I mean if you’re fine with rapists and child fuckers in office then you need to look at your priorities
Quite literaly the opposite of my stated position but if you need to put everyone in the rape and pediphiliac bucket then I guess no one can stop you.
Kinda like spinning a cow in your head.