Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chairwoman Kirsten Gillibrand called for Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for the Maine Senate race, to withdraw immediately following a rape allegation made by his ex-girlfriend. The New York Democrats issued a statement Monday describing the accusations as “incredibly disturbing” and asserting that “violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable.”
Schumer and Gillibrand stated that if Platner remains the Democratic candidate, the DSCC “will not invest in the Maine Senate race,” jeopardizing the campaign’s funding and fundraising capabilities. They urged for Platner's withdrawal to provide Maine Democrats an opportunity to select a new candidate capable of challenging Republican incumbent Susan Collins.
The accusation of rape was made by Jenny Racicot, Platner's ex-girlfriend, who claims the incident occurred five years ago. The senators' call for withdrawal aims to distance the Democratic Party from the allegations and maintain the integrity of the election cycle. This is a developing story.