The Maine Democratic Socialists of America is washing its hands of Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner, stressing it never supported his candidacy.
“To set the record straight: we never endorsed Platner,” the Maine DSA wrote in a Tuesday statement on X. “He is not a DSA candidate. We only endorsed Troy Jackson for the Primary.”
The statement from the state DSA chapter comes after a woman who dated Platner alleged he sexually assaulted her while drunk five years ago. Jackson, a former state senator, finished third in last month’s gubernatorial primary and is seen as a top contender to replace Platner on the ballot if he withdraws from the race.
But while the organization may have never formally endorsed Platner, a primary voter guide compiled by the organization shows it did “recommend” that voters cast their ballots in support of Platner.
The voter guide, which was compiled by a DSA volunteer member and published before the June primary, acknowledges that Platner “isn’t the perfect candidate” but does not “rehash” some of the controversies that had come up during his campaign, including his social media history.
“His campaign is riding a wave of populist anger against MAGA and provides a crucial opportunity to take out the forever unpopular, but still powerful, Susan Collins,” the guide continued. “If someone is committed to growth and shows a willingness to be better than they have been, then we have to take this chance while it’s available.”
The Maine DSA’s voter guide explains that the organization issues recommendations in races where the “candidate might not call themselves or be a socialist” but in which they believe “their platform can materially benefit the working class in Maine (especially in comparison to other candidates in their race).” The Washington Examiner contacted Maine DSA for comment.
It’s unclear if the voter guide was published before the New York Times published an article detailing allegations against Platner in which multiple women called his actions intimidating, disturbing, and sometimes aggressive.
In a series of interviews with Politico published Monday, Jenny Racicot, 41, claimed she and Platner had an on-and-off relationship for two years until Platner entered her home while drunk and forced himself onto her. Platner denied the allegations.
Following the new allegations from Racicot, the Maine DSA called on Platner to step down from the Democratic nomination.
“The power of the Platner campaign was undeniable, but that power does not come from the candidate; it comes from the tens of thousands of Mainers who were inspired by the campaign’s platform and urgency.”
Platner has not withdrawn his bid but said in a video posted after the news of the sexual assault allegation broke that he was taking time to “reflect” on his campaign’s path forward.
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“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,” Platner said in the video.
Several Democrats have called on Platner to step down, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA).