Who is Graham Platner? Maine Democrat's Senate Campaign Crumbles After Sexual Assault Accusation

Democrat Graham Platner has suspended his campaign for the US Senate seat in Maine after a woman accused him of sexual assault, the latest in a string of controversies to engulf his candidacy.

Senior Democrats had urged him to step aside from a race widely seen as crucial to the party's hopes of winning back the Senate, the BBC reported. Platner, in an 11-minute video posted online, insisted his exit was not an admission of guilt but a response to the party threatening to withdraw its backing. He branded the assault claim false, and said he would only file formal withdrawal papers once satisfied his replacement was chosen through an "open and democratic" process. Under Maine law, he must withdraw officially by 13 July for a new name to appear on the ballot.

An oyster farmer by trade, Platner had surged to the front of the Democratic field on a platform of blunt populism, championing universal healthcare and affordable housing while attacking the party establishment. Backing from Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren had strengthened his hand so much that Governor Janet Mills abandoned her own bid against him.

What are the accusations?

Trouble had been building for months. Reports last October revealed a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol, which Platner said he acquired while drinking with fellow Marines in Croatia in 2007 and later had covered. Old Reddit comments then surfaced in which he suggested assault victims bore some responsibility if intoxicated. In June, the New York Times reported he had exchanged explicit messages with other women during his marriage, which he admitted was accurate, followed by claims from former girlfriends describing volatile, angry behaviour.

The decisive blow came from Politico's report that Jenny Racicot, 41, alleged Platner entered her Maine home uninvited and assaulted her while intoxicated during their on-off relationship. Warren and other senior figures withdrew support within hours.

Who could replace Platner?

Maine's Democratic Party plans a nominating convention within a fortnight. Contenders reportedly include economist Nirav Shah, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, brewery founder Dan Kleban and former state senator Troy Jackson. Actor Patrick Dempsey ruled himself out this week. Whether Mills might re-enter remains unclear.