Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner during a campaign appearance in the village of Blue Hill, Maine, in June.Image: keystone
The unconventional Senate candidate Graham Platner is about to withdraw after new allegations. Now supporters who previously defended him are also turning away.
07/08/2026, 00:0007/08/2026, 00:00
Just a month ago, Graham Platner looked like a radiant winner. The political newcomer won the Democratic primary in the American state of Maine with 72 percent of the vote. But now the Senate candidate is on the verge of elimination.
Left-wing allies are demanding that the 41-year-old populist give up his candidacy – the same Democrats, of course, who had previously defended Platner through thick and thin. And they had hoped that Platner would help take back the majority in the Senate in the November election. Most recently, socialist Bernie Sanders also said on Tuesday that he had recommended that Platner vacate his seat.
Platner thinks about his future
What happened? A 41-year-old woman from Maine accuses Platner of raping her in 2021. They had a loose relationship at the time, she said in an interview with “Politico” and CNN. Platner was “intelligent” and “charming,” but led an unstable lifestyle.
Then, one evening at the end of 2021, she suddenly received a text message from Platner. He asked her if he could visit her. She answered: No. But he didn’t want to listen to her, and half an hour later he was standing in her house, very drunk. He wanted sex. The woman said she defended herself, verbally and physically. But Platner, a robustly built man, was stronger.
The Senate candidate, now married, firmly rejects the serious accusation. But a withdrawal seems to be only a matter of time. In a video that he published on Monday, the Democrat announced that he would think about the future of his Senate candidacy. The corresponding film was viewed more than 9 million times on X.
Tattoo caused a stir
Platner announced his candidacy a year ago. Politically, he was a blank slate and captured the spirit of the times. After Donald Trump’s renewed victory in the 2024 presidential election, the Democrats were looking for idiosyncratic figures who should appeal to new groups of voters.
And Platner was an unconventional politician right from the start. He had served in the armed forces, but spoke out against the vigorous US foreign policy. He earned his money as an oyster farmer and seemed, at least in the eyes of political strategists, to have a good rapport with working people. In any case, his crude language was met with approval from Democrats. Platner’s election campaigns quickly became street sweepers, also because he appeared in villages that no left-wing politician had ventured into for a long time.
But from the start, his private life raised many questions. Platner openly admitted that he drank too much alcohol after his service and was mentally ill. Stupid and disgusting statements he made on social networks like Reddit came to light. Former girlfriends said in media interviews that he had treated them badly. Platner also had to admit that he had gotten a tattoo in 2007 that was reminiscent of the skull of the SS division of the same name in the “Third Reich.” He said he was unaware of the meaning of Nazi symbols.
Setback for the Democrats’ new strategy
The buzz surrounding Platner’s candidacy is drawing attention across the country, even though Maine is one of the smallest US states. This is due to the fact that the Democrats are also relying on unorthodox candidates in other parts of the country this year.
The strategy behind this approach? Apparently the left-wing part of the American population is so angry with the establishment in Washington that qualifications no longer play an important role. What is more important is that the candidates are able to inspire voters. The example of Graham Platner shows how quickly this strategy can go wrong. (schweiztoday.ch)