Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) admitted his faith in Graham Platner was ill placed, after sexual assault allegations led the progressive candidate to drop out of the U.S. Senate race in Maine, but said the failed campaign is not reflective of a general change in momentum that has seen many socialist candidates succeed recently.
“I got the Platner call wrong, obviously,” Khanna told Politico. “But it doesn’t negate from the progressive movement.”
Khanna, who has been floated as a possible 2028 presidential contender, has endorsed many primary candidates challenging establishment Democrats, including state Rep. Josh Turek in Iowa and Abdul el Sayed in Michigan. He was one of Platner’s biggest supporters, going to a campaign event with him just days after allegations of questionable behavior toward an ex-girlfriend first emerged last month. Only after the most recent allegations from Platner’s ex- girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, were made public, where she said he entered her home uninvited and forced her to have sex with him, did Khanna disavow Platner.
Khanna said he went to the June campaign event with Platner to get a sense of what was going on.
MAINE DEMOCRATS WALK A TIGHTROPE: SPURN PLATNER WHILE COURTING HIS VOTERS
“It’s always better to be the man in the arena. When you make as many endorsements and you’re in the fight and you’re not in the ivory tower, you’re going to get some calls wrong,” Khanna said.
Left-wing challengers have been seeing a lot of success against their establishment primary opponents, particularly since the New York elections in June. The Democratic Socialists of America, which backs many of these candidates, has said the momentum is encouraging and just the beginning.
Khanna has echoed that sentiment, saying the strength of the movement is enough that even candidates with baggage will be successful by feeding into frustrations about corporate interests.
“Even flawed candidates are doing well on that platform, and the establishment is scared about that platform because it threatens their traditional donors and it threatens their traditional power structure,” he said. “They realize their days are numbered.”
As for the lasting effects of Platner’s disgraced campaign, Khanna didn’t expect it to have much staying power, despite the chaos that his dropping out introduced to a race that is integral for Democrats’ mission to flip the Senate.
“This will be a one-week news story,” Khanna said.
WHO IS RUNNING TO REPLACE GRAHAM PLATNER?
Khanna has beefed up his image as someone looking to take on the Trump administration and buck Democratic norms. He’s partnered with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in efforts to pressure the administration on the Epstein files, as well as to cut off U.S. aid to Israel. His endorsement strategy is also seen as part of his grander intention to compete with other heavy hitters in the 2028 Democratic primary for president.
Khanna’s adviser, Jeff Weaver, told ABC News in June that the congressman is trying to “build a Democratic power” that can halt Trump’s agenda. Plus, Weaver said, “it helps [Khanna] build relationships and bridges across the various wings of the party.”
However, it’s unclear if he’s building enough momentum to compete with the likes of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), or Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD).
At Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention, where many big names in the Democratic Party tested out the appetite for their political brand, Khanna didn’t receive the same level of enthusiasm as others.
“I don’t think they saw him really in the presidential, even though he’s rumored to be looking at it,” Sharpton told the New York Times after the event.
Not one attendee at the event spoke to the Washington Examiner about the California Democrat as a presidential contender.