Graham Platner wants to withdraw his candidacy for a seat in the US Senate after allegations of rape and aggressive attacks against female partners.Image: keystone
He was supposed to make a decisive contribution to a victory for the US Democrats in the midterm elections in November – now Graham Platner is leaving the race:
Jul 9, 2026, 3:54 amJul 9, 2026, 3:54 am
Graham Platner wants to withdraw his candidacy for a seat in the US Senate after allegations of rape and aggressive attacks against female partners. The political newcomer announced this in a video on the X platform. Platner clearly won the primary election in Maine at the beginning of June and was considered the Democrats’ key candidate for the midterms in November.
“In the last few days I have been made some very serious allegations and I just want to make it clear that all of this is wrong,” emphasized the 41-year-old. His withdrawal is not an admission of guilt.
His campaign for the primary election had already been overshadowed by allegations from former partners. In recent days, new, more serious allegations have been made. A 41-year-old former acquaintance told the Politico portal that Platner gained access to her house around five years ago and had sex with her against her will.
Platner was expected to officially become a candidate on Monday
Like the previous allegations, Platner also rejected the new allegations a few days ago, but announced that he would consider the next course of action. In the meantime, large parts of his party had already turned against him. The pressure was particularly great because Platner would have become the official candidate on Monday. His withdrawal now opens the opportunity for a new nomination.
Platner had become one of the Democrats’ key figures for the midterms. In the midterm elections on November 3rd, around a third of the Senate and the entire House of Representatives will be re-elected. Because of the Republicans’ current narrow majority in both chambers of parliament, each individual mandate could decide who ultimately has power in Congress – and whether the Democrats can prevent President Donald Trump’s key political projects in the future. The Democrats expect one of the decisive races in Maine.
Platner has previously made headlines for his treatment of women. According to the New York Times, several ex-partners accused him of intimidating and disturbing behavior. A former partner also spoke of a physical altercation. Army veteran Platner admitted to struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol abuse, but always denied allegations of intimidation or physical assault. (sda/dpa)