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By Gabe Whisnant, Anna Commander, Hannah Parry, and Khaleda Rahman
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Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of Maine is confronting fresh political challenges after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021, a claim he denied to Newsweek, as new polling suggests voters have little tolerance for additional controversies involving him.
The new allegation was reported by Politico, which interviewed Maine resident Jenny Racicot. She alleged that Platner entered her home while intoxicated in late 2021 and forced her to have sex despite her repeated objections.
She told the outlet that she had previously been involved in an on-and-off relationship with Platner and that the encounter was not consensual.
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Platner rejected the allegation in an email to Newsweek on Tuesday, saying: "These allegations are troubling, serious, and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue."
In a video posted on X on Tuesday night, he said he would be considering next steps for his campaign.
“Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we’re 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,” he said in the video.
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Former Girlfriend Accuses Platner of Nonconsensual Condom Removal
According to reporting published Tuesday by The Washington Post, a second former girlfriend of Platner alleged that he repeatedly removed condoms during sex without her consent while they were in a relationship from 2013 to 2015. Lyndsey Fifield, who previously accused Platner of physical abuse, told the Post that she required him to use condoms because she was not using birth control, but said he would sometimes remove them without telling her. She said the conduct occurred on multiple occasions.
The Post reported that Fifield initially disclosed the allegations during an off-the-record interview on June 20 but later decided to go public after Racicot accused Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021. According to the Post's account, Fifield said she wanted to demonstrate that Racicot “was not alone” in experiencing issues involving sexual consent with Platner. The report also said Racicot alleged that Platner removed condoms without her consent multiple times during their relationship.
Platner's campaign denied the latest allegations. In a statement, the campaign called Fifield's claims “categorically false and politically motivated.”
Last month, Newsweek confirmed Fifield was a registered Republican from 2012 until at least 2016, per voting registration records. While the records show her voter registration in Washington, D.C. remains active, Fifield informed Newsweek she has lived in Virginia since 2020 and is registered to vote there. Virginia does not register voters by party affiliation.
Newsweek has reached out to Platner's campaign via email on Tuesday afternoon for comment.
Critical Time For Democrats
The controversy lands at a critical moment for Democrats, who view Maine as one of their best opportunities to flip a Republican-held Senate seat as they try to gain control of the upper chamber of Congress. Platner, a Marine veteran and oyster farmer, won last month's Democratic primary and has remained competitive against six-term Republican Senator Susan Collins in public polling.
But with the general election campaign intensifying, the latest allegation against the progressive candidate threatens to refocus attention on Platner's personal conduct rather than the issues at the center of the race.
Collins reacted to the newly reported allegation, saying, "These allegations are appalling. Nevertheless, it is not up to me to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate," Semafor congressional bureau chief Burgess Everett posted on X.
Newsweek reached out to Collins' campaign on Monday for comment.
Claims of Political Motivation Rejected
The new allegation comes as a key deadline approaches under Maine election law. State statute allows a political party to replace a general-election nominee who withdraws after a primary, but only if the withdrawal occurs by 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July. This year, that deadline falls on July 13. If Platner were to step aside before then, Maine Democrats would retain the ability to select a replacement for the November ballot.
Meanwhile, Racicot has pushed back on suggestions that her accusations could be "politically motivated."
"I really agree with his politics," she told Jake Tapper during an appearance on CNN Monday. "I think we need somebody with those political stances and who are willing to do the work.
"And, you know, I see his political videos, they get me fired up as well. I understand why people want someone like him in office. you know, and I felt like me coming forward would essentially potentially take that away," she said, explaining that was one of the reasons she had been reluctant to speak out.
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"I felt really uncomfortable with the responsibility of and the weight of my story and, and what that might do."
While rejecting the allegation, Platner, who has recently canceled several campaign events, acknowledged the political fallout it could create and said he was weighing the future of his campaign. He said he and his team were "taking the time to reflect on the best path forward" for Maine, his supporters and the broader effort to defeat Collins.
Democrats Pull Their Endorsements or Call for Him to Drop Out
Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna of California have both rescinded their endorsements of Platner following the latest allegation.
"The allegations against Graham Platner are troubling and deeply serious. I am rescinding my endorsement," Gallego wrote on X.
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Khanna wrote on X: "I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line. These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement."
Numerous outlets reported that Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked Platner to step aside, after previously backing him.
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“Now more than ever we need leaders in Washington who reflect our values. There can be no tolerance for sexual assault," Warren said in a statement, according to NPR.
"Working families are counting on Democrats to win the Senate election in Maine to unrig our economy and hold Donald Trump accountable. With so much at stake, the best path forward is for Graham Platner to step aside as the Democratic nominee and address these serious allegations outside this Senate race.”
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Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico also pulled his endorsement of Platner, saying in part that the allegations against him are "appalling."
End Citizens United (ECU) dropped its endorsement of Platner and called on him to leave the race. ECU President Tiffany Muller told Newsweek in a statement that the allegations were "profoundly disturbing and disqualifying," saying the conduct alleged is inconsistent with the standards expected of candidates the group supports and stressing that "no candidate, elected official, or political party is exempt from accountability."
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She said Maine Democrats should quickly rally behind a replacement nominee who can "earn voters' trust" and focus on "ethical leadership, accountability, and fighting corruption."
Explaining the decision, Muller said ECU's efforts to challenge Collins have always been guided by the belief that "character matters, integrity matters, and accountability matters" and that those principles "must be applied equally."
Meanwhile, in a statement from Maine Democratic Party leadership posted to X on Monday, they called for Platner to drop out of the race.
"The Maine Democratic Party leadership stands with women and survivors, and that principle does not bend based on party affiliation. We respect the women who made the hard decision to come forward. Speaking up is often costly," the post reads in part.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Senator Kirsten Gillibrand have called for Platner to withdraw from the Maine Senate race.
“The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable," they said in a joint statement. “Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins. The DSCC will not invest in the Maine Senate race if Platner remains on the ballot.”
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Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), said in a post on X that the allegations against Platner are "deeply disturbing" and that it is time for him to end his campaign.
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Troy Jackson, the former president of the Maine Senate who has been floated as a potential replacement for Platner, said he believed Racicot as he called for Platner to withdraw.
“There is no place in our politics for sexual violence. Not in our party, not in any party. Graham Platner must withdraw from this race today,” Jackson wrote on X.
He added: “We cannot ask women to trust us with their futures while looking the other way when one of our own hurts them. That ends here. I believe Jenny Racicot.”
Tim Walz, Democratic Governor of Minnesota, also said the allegations against Platner are "deeply disturbing" and called for him to bow out of the race.
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Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock late Monday night said "moral character still matters," adding that Platner should drop out.
Texas State Representative James Talarico, who is running for Senate in Texas, also called for Platner to withdraw from the race. “The credible allegations against Graham Platner cannot be ignored — he should withdraw from the race immediately," he said, according to MS NOW's Kevin Frey.
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Who Could Replace Platner on the Ballot?
If Platner were to withdraw before the July 13 deadline, Maine Democrats would face a narrow window to select a replacement nominee. While party leaders have not publicly identified a preferred successor, political analysts and early media reports have floated several prominent officials as potential options.
Options include Dr. Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention who became a prominent public figure during the COVID-19 pandemic; former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson; former Democratic Senate candidate David Costello; and Governor Janet Mills, who launched a primary bid against Platner but suspended her campaign in April.
Under Maine law, Democrats would have until July 27 to fill the vacancy if Platner steps aside by the statutory deadline.
Dan Shea, a political science professor at Colby College, told Newsweek via email that unless evidence emerges contradicting the latest allegation, he believes it could effectively derail Platner's candidacy. While Shea said Platner may not ultimately leave the race, he expects "the pressure, from both Mainers and from others across the country, will be huge" and suggested Platner's political momentum may be nearing its end.
Shea also argued that Democrats would likely be better positioned against Collins with a different nominee. He said there are too many moderate voters who are dissatisfied with the incumbent senator but "also can't stomach Platner," adding that Collins' campaign would probably prefer to face Platner in November.
"The best chance the Democrats have to pick up the Maine seat is to find another strong candidate, and soon," Shea said.
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Graham Platner Maintains Edge With Women Despite Controversies
Platner Responds to Racicot Allegation
Racicot said she did not previously speak publicly or to the police about the alleged assault because she did not want to be known as a rape victim, Politico reported.
She decided to come forward because she wanted voters to have what she described as a fuller understanding of Platner's character. Politico reported reviewing emails between Racicot and her therapist, as well as messages she exchanged with others in the years following the alleged incident.
Platner has pushed back forcefully, reiterating his denial and accusing political opponents of attempting to derail his candidacy. He said the allegations were being promoted by establishment figures seeking to force him out of the race ahead of the ballot deadline.
In a statement, Platner also thanked supporters who backed his insurgent campaign, saying Mainers had welcomed him into their communities and embraced a movement focused on putting "the interests of people over corporations." He pointed to what he described as the largest volunteer operation in Maine political history and argued that supporters from across the ideological spectrum had united around political change and unseating Collins.
He highlighted his primary victory, noting that a record 154,058 voters participated in the June contest. He said those voters had rejected "a broken politics beholden to Washington and the donor class" and instead voted for "change" and to "take back our Senate seat."
"Throughout it all, you never turned your back on me, and I will not turn my back on you now," Platner said, adding that he would use "every tool at our disposal" to achieve the campaign's goals.
Platner and his wife, Amy Gertner, married in 2023. Earlier this year, his campaign acknowledged that he had exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women at the beginning of the marriage. Platner said he and Gertner "went through something hard" and worked through it together, while Gertner publicly defended her husband and criticized the focus on his personal life rather than his policy agenda.
Platner vs. Collins: What Polls Show
Despite months of controversies, Platner has remained competitive against Collins in public polling. Surveys conducted before the latest allegation generally showed the Democrat either trailing by low single digits or running essentially even with the six-term Republican senator, helping fuel Democratic hopes of flipping one of the party's top Senate targets.
Platner's polling resilience has been one of the most unusual storylines of the race. The Marine Corps veteran won June's Democratic primary with 72 percent of the vote and continued to draw support from progressive and working-class voters despite scrutiny over his online history, personal conduct and past relationships. Democratic strategists have argued that his outsider message and criticism of the political establishment helped offset concerns that might have derailed a more traditional candidate.
The latest allegation could test that resilience.
According to Kalshi, prediction market odds of Platner dropping out of Maine's Senate race by July 14 surged to 90 percent by early Tuesday, up from just 1.5 percent on Sunday, as traders reacted to the latest allegation.
And with Platner facing mounting calls to withdraw from the race, the prediction markets also show a recent surge in the odds of a Democratic candidate winning the Senate race.
Polymarket shows the chances of a Democrat winning the race jumped from a low of 48 percent on Tuesday to 57 percent as of 2:45 a.m. ET on Wednesday, while the Republican candidate was given odds of 42 percent.
Kalshi showed the Democratic candidate’s chances jump from about 53.4 percent on Tuesday to 59.6 percent as of 2 a.m. ET Wednesday, while the Republican candidate’s odds fell from 46.6 percent to 40.4 percent.
Politicians Who Had Endorsed Platner
Confirmed endorsers include:
- Senator Bernie Sanders (independent, Vermont)
- Senator Elizabeth Warren (Democrat, Massachusetts)**
- Senator Martin Heinrich (Democrat, New Mexico)**
- Senator Chuck Schumer (Democrat, New York)*
- Senator Ruben Gallego (Democrat, Arizona)**
- Representative Ro Khanna (Democrat, California)**
*Schumer publicly backed Platner after Mills exited the race and Democrats coalesced around him.
**Gallego, Khanna, Heinrich and Warren rescinded their endorsements on Monday.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania ripped Senator Sanders for backing Platner, calling on him to apologize for supporting the Maine Democratic candidate.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant, Dave Siminoff and Gray R. Thomas.
Correction, 10/21/26, 07:39 a.m. ET: This article previously featured data from Wedgewood Polls, which has since been revealed to be an operation targeting the media with fake information. The polling data from Wedgewood Polls has now been removed from the story.
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