Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks to voters at a town hall at the Elks Lodge 188 on June 7, 2026 in Portland, Maine. (Photo by Laura Brett/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Sophia Flores 
5:33 PM – Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Democrat Graham Platner has announced that he is withdrawing from the Maine Senate race following an escalating wave of sexual assault allegations.

The Democrat nominee officially ended his campaign on Wednesday night. While he continues to deny the allegations, Platner conceded in a statement that his presence was harming the broader political effort, saying, “We believe for the movement to continue, it can’t be me, and for that reason, we are suspending campaign operations.”

The official exit follows a video Platner posted to X earlier in the week, where he fiercely defended himself against the initial reports.

 

His campaign suspension clears the way for Democrats to pick a new nominee. Maine is a hotly contested Senate race as it has the power to determine which party will hold the Senate majority.

This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.

 

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