A growing number of Democrats are distancing themselves from Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after a woman came forward with a serious rape allegation, triggering a wave of political fallout that has already claimed one of his most prominent endorsements.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., withdrew his support for Platner and called on the candidate to suspend his campaign following a Politico report detailing allegations made by Maine resident Jenny Racicot, 41, who previously dated Platner.
According to Racicot's account, the incident occurred in 2021, when she says Platner entered her home and forced her to have unprotected sex.
Platner has categorically denied the allegation, and he has not been convicted of any crime related to the accusation. In response to the report, the Democrat said Racicot's account is false while acknowledging that his campaign is evaluating its next steps as the controversy unfolds.
Khanna's decision to rescind his endorsement marks a significant setback for Platner, signaling that some Democrats are unwilling to stand by the candidate as the allegation receives increasing public attention. The California congressman described the accusation as crossing a "red line" and urged Platner to step aside while the matter is addressed.
The controversy has quickly become a defining issue in the Maine Senate race, placing Democratic leaders under pressure to explain whether they will continue supporting Platner or follow Khanna's lead.
The episode also revives a familiar political question: whether elected officials and party leaders will apply the same standards of accountability regardless of political affiliation. Republicans have long argued that allegations involving prominent Democrats are too often handled with caution or silence, while accusations against conservatives frequently generate immediate demands for resignation.
The legal process will determine what evidence ultimately supports or refutes the claims, and Platner remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. At the same time, the political consequences are already unfolding in real time, with prominent allies abandoning his campaign and Democrats facing renewed scrutiny over whether their calls for accountability will be applied consistently, even when one of their own is at the center of the controversy.
