Graham Platner, the Democrat Party nominee in Maine challenging Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), lost his biggest backer on Tuesday when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) cut him loose.
"I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine," Sanders said in a post on X. "In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside."
Democrats spent months saying over and over that Maine was their best chance to flip a Senate seat and retake the majority. Now their nominee, a Nazi-tattooed creep with a slew of scandals, the latest being a rape allegation, is now refusing to leave the race unless the party lets him hand-pick his own replacement.
That's where the Democrat Party finds itself this week. It’s not good. Yet Platner seems to be interested in making it worse.
The allegations against Platner come from his ex-girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, who accused him of raping her in 2021 and detailed the alleged assault for an article in Politico.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other party leaders promptly rescinded their endorsements, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) urged him to suspend his campaign, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee says it won't spend a dime on the race if he stays on the ballot.
🚨 WOW! Maine US Senate candidate Graham Platner is now holding the Democrat Party HOSTAGE, REFUSING to drop out following r*pe claims unless he gets to choose his successor — NYP
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 7, 2026
Total MELTDOWN MODE and internal war!
This leftist wants to get the SAME kind radical socialist… pic.twitter.com/5GOwSr2vVG
So Platner is stepping aside, right? Not quite.
Maine election law gives him until Monday to get off the ballot and be replaced, but the New York Post's Josh Christenson reported Tuesday that Platner will only consider withdrawing if his replacement shares his radical left-wing values.
One source told the Post that Platner's camp assumes any successor would want his endorsement and described the team's thinking as delusional. Meanwhile, his strategist, Morris Katz, is still telling him to stay in the race. Katz used to advise New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and even Mamdani called on Platner to drop out on Tuesday.
ICYMI: The Left Has a New Narrative About Graham Platner, and Scott Jennings Just Nuked It
Sanders has his own angle here, too. He reportedly wants former Maine Senate president Troy Jackson, who shared a stage with Platner and Sanders at a "Fight the Oligarchy" rally in May, to take over the nomination.
Jackson filed papers with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday to form an exploratory committee. The committee's treasurer, Peter Sarasohn, has collected roughly $3,000 a month from Sanders's own campaign committee since January 2025.
The problem with Platner’s demand is that in light of Platner’s implosion, they’re going to want to go with someone safe and electable.
Since launching his campaign last August, Platner has had one controversy after another, starting with the Nazi symbol tattooed on his chest, offensive old Reddit posts, and sexual text messages he sent to women other than his wife, just to name a few. The party stuck with him through all of it, and now he's returning the favor by demanding veto power over his own successor.
Grab the popcorn, folks, it’s gonna get interesting.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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