U.S. Senate candidate from Maine Graham Platner speaks during a television interview, after a campaign event with the Maine AFL-CIO, on May 1, 2026 in Portland, Maine. Platner, an oyster farmer by trade, is now the presumptive Democratic nominee before the Maine Primary election in June, after his chief rival Maine Governor Janet Mills (not-pictured) recently suspended her campaign. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)

OAN Staff Sophia Flores 
3:03 PM – Friday, July 10, 2026

Embattled Senate candidate Graham Platner has formally withdrawn from the race to be the next U.S. Senator for the state of Maine. His exit from the race comes just days after an escalating wave of sexual assault allegations against him came to light.

On Friday, Platner made the announcement in an official letter to the Maine Secretary of State, which he shared to X. In his letter, he signed off with a unrelated message, “F*ck ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.”

Platner first announced his intent to suspend his campaign on Wednesday. He conceded in a video statement that his presence was harming the broader political effort, though he maintained that the allegations against him were false.

 

By officially withdrawing before the state’s July 13th ballot deadline, Platner leaves an official vacancy, giving the Maine Democrat Party time to find his replacement. The party must lock in its new nominee by July 27th at 5pm ET.

The winner for the Democrat race will face off against longtime incumbent Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) in November’s midterm elections.

 

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