Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Ruben Gallego rescinded their support of Graham Platner on Monday, with Khanna additionally calling for the Democratic nominee to drop out of the Maine Senate race.
It’s a significant reversal from two formerly staunch Democratic defenders of Platner, following a POLITICO report that a woman who dated Platner said he forced her to have sex with him five years ago.
Platner has denied the allegations, but he also posted on social media that he was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward” for his candidacy.
“I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna (D-Calif.) said on X. “These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”
In his own social media post, Gallego (D-Ariz.) called the allegations “troubling and deeply serious” while announcing he would no longer back the progressive oysterman.
The announcements from the two prominent Democratic members of Congress come amid growing calls for Platner to drop out and condemnations of his behavior — including from Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and leaders of the Maine Democratic Party — in the aftermath of POLITICO’s story.
Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident, said that Platner entered her home uninvited five years ago and forced himself on her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. She said she cut off contact with him after telling him that his actions that night were not consensual.
“These allegations are horrific, full stop,” former Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg said on X. “Graham Platner needs to drop out and let a strong Democratic replacement run.”
“Pod Save America” co-hosts Tommy Vietor, Dan Pfeiffer and Jon Favreau, who brought Platner onto the show as he navigated the fallout of a Nazi-linked tattoo, also called on him to drop out Monday.
Democrats can still replace Platner on the ballot, but only if he chooses to drop out before the July 13 deadline outlined in Maine law. If he were to drop out, the state Democratic Party would have to choose his replacement by July 27.