Graham Platner, the scandal-plagued Democratic Senate candidate whose rise in insurgents has been compared to Donald Trump, ended his campaign on Wednesday after rape allegations threatened to derail one of his party’s best chances to unseat the Republican-held seat.
Platner, a Marine veteran, oysterman and political outsider, won last month’s Democratic primary in northeastern Maine to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the November midterm elections.
His withdrawal gives Maine Democrats just days to regroup in the race for the party’s hopes of regaining control of the U.S. Senate. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority.
“We are suspending campaign activities,” Platner said in a video posted on X. “This is very difficult, because I know that some will think it is an admission of guilt, and it is not.”
“I intend to submit my paperwork to withdraw,” he added.
Under Maine law, Democrats can replace Platner on the ballot because he resigned before the July 13 deadline. The state party has until July 27 to choose a new nominee.
