[THEGUARDIAN] Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for US Senate in Maine, is suspending his campaign following sexual assault allegations.Platner announced his decision in an 11-minute video posted to social media on Wednesday evening, in which he angrily accused the Democratic establishment and corporate media of ''using these allegations to take away all of the things we need to run a campaign'' and acting ''as judge, jury and executioner''.
''For the movement to continue, it can't be me,'' he said. ''For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations.''
In the video, Platner vehemently stood by his assertion that the accusations were ''not remotely true'', claiming they were driven by ''large forces... working against [him] personally''.
''This is all false,'' Platner said of the allegations. ''The things that have been claimed did not happen. It's not real.''
The oyster farmer and marine veteran — whose populist platform packed town halls, raised millions early in the race, earned support from progressive stars like Bernie Sanders
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and built enough momentum to force his primary challenger, Governor Janet Mills, to suspend her bid — has been dogged by controversy since entering the Senate contest last year, including over his conduct in past romantic relationships, his social media history and a since-removed tattoo of a Nazi symbol.
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Graham Platner 07/07/2026 Dem candidate Graham Platner 'losing airspeed and altitude’ in Maine senate race.
Graham Platner 06/24/2026 New York State primaries round up: Israel, AIPAC and Zohran Mamdani take center stage in key races, then there’s the Kennedy kid
Graham Platner 06/15/2026 Kurt: Fiery but Mostly Peaceful Riots Are the Language of the Unheard