Platner drops out

By Eesha Pendharkar | Senior Reporter

By Emma Davis

Democratic nominee Graham Platner dropped out of Maine’s U.S. Senate race on Wednesday, two days after an accusation of sexual assault tanked support from his party. 

“This is incredibly difficult because I know that some will think it’s an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not,” Platner said in an 11 minute video posted to social media announcing he suspended campaign operations. “We’re not doing it because of the allegations. We’re doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power.”

Platner’s exit clouds Democrats’ hopes of winning back the U.S. Senate majority, as Maine’s seat long held by Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is seen as crucial for that aim. The state party is tasked to replace him in just a few weeks time.

By Eesha Pendharkar

The Maine Democratic Party will hold a first-of-its-kind convention to choose Graham Platner’s replacement in the race for U.S. Senate, it announced Wednesday evening, around the same time Platner dropped out after being accused of sexual assault.

During an emergency meeting, more than 100 state committee members voted to hold the convention after the party promised an open and transparent process to choose Platner’s successor. The party has not yet released details, but it has until July 27 to select a replacement. 

By Emma Davis

A person familiar with Graham Platner’s campaign’s internal conversations told Maine Morning Star Wednesday that his two top political strategists have been telling the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate to step down following the sexual assault accusation.

The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the two made a final push to Platner Tuesday night, and that the candidate has come to terms with dropping out. Platner has yet to officially do so, as of this story’s publication. 

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