The Maine Democratic Party could be without a candidate soon if Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner withdraws his bid in the wake of a new sexual assault allegation against him.
Platner, who was accused by a woman he dated of sexually assaulting her while drunk five years ago, is under pressure from Democrats across the spectrum to step aside from the Senate race following the revelation.
Platner has until July 13 to withdraw his bid to unseat Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), which would give the state party committee until July 27 to name a replacement. But the means by which the state party committee will do so remains unclear as of Tuesday afternoon.
Reports are swirling that Platner hopes to have a say in the candidate who replaces him on the ballot, with the New York Times reporting that a source familiar with the campaign said if Platner steps aside, “it would only be with a guarantee of being replaced by a candidate who he believes is true to the values and vision and policy agenda of the campaign that Maine voted for.”
Rebecca Katz, who works for the political consulting firm advising Platner, said claims that Platner was refusing to withdraw unless he had a say in the replacement were “false.”
In a new memo published by the Bangor Daily News, Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson told state committee members the situation with Platner was “unprecedented,” but that “Party leadership has been working around the clock to evaluate the options available to us.”
“We are in ongoing consultation with legal counsel to ensure that every process we consider undertaking is fully consistent with Maine law and the Maine Democratic Party Charter,” Murphy-Anderson wrote. “Until we have a complete understanding of the full range of legally permissible options, it would be premature to share details. To the degree we can control it, this process must be free of misunderstanding and misinformation.”
Murphy-Anderson went on to say that while Platner is still the nominee, “you can expect a more substantial update on this process later today.”
Party officials are reportedly considering a convention or statewide caucus to choose a new nominee, according to the New York Times. In a Monday statement, the Maine Democratic Party said if Platner drops out, the selection process will be “open, transparent, and inclusive” and not “selected by an individual campaign.”
Joe Baldacci, who mounted an unsuccessful U.S. House campaign, posted on X that any new Democratic nominee “has to be someone who is independent minded from Platner, otherwise they will be viewed by voters as a protege.”
Baldacci continued, “Any connections to Platner will doom that person’s campaign from the very beginning.”
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Calls for Platner to withdraw from the Senate race hit a crescendo following allegations from Jenny Racicot, 41, who claimed in a story published by Politico that 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 has denied the allegations.
If Platner withdraws after the July 13 deadline for reasons other than “catastrophic illness, condition or injury” or death, Maine Democrats will not be able to choose a new nominee under state law.