The Maine Secretary of State’s office confirmed that it had received notice from Mr. Platner that he was withdrawing from the race. His withdrawal comes in time for Democrats to field a new candidate.
Who will replace Graham Platner in the Maine Senate race?
Maine Democrats must move quickly to find new options after controversial Senate candidate Graham Platner drops out of the race.
Controversial U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner, who has been dogged by sexual assault allegations in Maine that he denies, is officially withdrawing from the race, the Maine Secretary of State’s office confirmed on Friday, July 10.
The state’s confirmation that Mr. Plattner had asked to have his name removed from the ballot came after Mr. Plattner announced on July 8 that he would cease campaigning. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Plattner removed his name from the ballot in time for Democrats to choose a replacement.
Platner shared a letter to X asking for his name to be removed from the ballot without comment.
“On June 9, 156,084 Maine people voted for a new kind of politics — one that represents people here in the real world, not billionaires, oligarchs, or the political establishment,” Platner said in the letter. “Over the past 11 months, thousands of Mainers have poured their hearts, time and talents into the movement that made that vision a reality. I will be forever grateful to them.”
He added: “By filing this letter today, we aim to further the movement we have built together and the future we believe in.”
Democrats have until July 27 to find Mr. Platner’s replacement, state officials said. The Secretary of State’s Office said it would soon announce how the party could field new candidates in high-stakes races in which Democrats aim to capture Republican-held seats.
The risks of political disaster for oyster farmers are high. Whether Democrats can unseat longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins could determine whether they regain the Senate majority in November’s midterm elections. If successful, it could block much of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda during his second term.
Why did Mr. Platner face calls to resign?
Mr. Platner, a 41-year-old oyster farmer and retired Marine, faced a chorus of calls from fellow Democrats to withdraw from the race following new allegations that he sexually assaulted his ex-girlfriend nearly five years ago. Plattner denied the accusations and said any claims of “non-consensual conduct” were “categorically false.”
Sexual assault charges aren’t the only controversy gripping oyster farmers.
Among other issues, He had a tattoo of a skull and crossbones, which resembles the Nazi symbol. An old post on Reddit showed him asking, “Why don’t black people tip?” And he said that white rural Americans are “actually” racist and stupid. Platner later apologized for the post, saying he had hidden his tattoos and had been suffering mentally since returning from the military.
How did Platner become the Democratic candidate?
Mr. Plattner became the official Democratic candidate to defeat Mr. Collins after winning the Maine Democratic primary.
The controversial figure won a landslide victory with over 70% of the votes. Leading governor Janet T. Mills, who suspended her campaign before the vote, came in second with less than 20% of the vote.
Plattner became a candidate in July 2025 after being approached by local union leaders as someone who would appeal to the state’s working-class voters, the Bangor Daily News reported.
Platner’s controversial Reddit posts came to light just a few months later, including one in which he made light of sexual assault, The Washington Post reported.
A series of sexual misconduct allegations, including rape accusations, have prompted prominent Democratic politicians to withdraw their support from the once-populist candidate.
