A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Graham Platner is under pressure this morning to end his bid for the U.S. Senate.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Yeah. The Democratic Party has been depending on Platner to win a race considered vital to their hopes in the midterm elections. And on Monday, Politico published allegations by a woman he dated. She also gave an interview to CNN and accused Platner of raping her. Platner denies this allegation but posted a video saying he is assessing his next steps.
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GRAHAM PLATNER: Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.
MARTÍNEZ: NPR political reporter Elena Moore has been tracking the latest developments. And a warning to our listeners - this story contains descriptions of sexual assault. Elena, tell us about these serious allegations.
ELENA MOORE, BYLINE: Politico's story details an account made by a former girlfriend of Platner, Jenny Racicot, who alleges that in 2021, Platner entered her home, intoxicated and forced her to have sex with him, despite her repeatedly saying no. Here's part of how she described it in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper.
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JENNY RACICOT: He violated multiple layers of consent that night by coming into my home when I asked him not to, and by advancing on me when I told him not to.
MOORE: And NPR has not independently verified those claims, but Politico says it was able to corroborate the allegations by reviewing past messages sent between the accuser and her therapist and talking with individuals whom she confided in.
MARTÍNEZ: OK. What is Graham Platner's response?
MOORE: Well, in a statement to NPR, Platner adamantly denied the allegations, calling them troubling, serious and false. But, A, as we heard, he also said he would take time to think about what's next.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah. It seems that many Democrats, though, are unwilling to wait. What are people in the party saying?
MOORE: Well, almost instantly after Politico's story published, we started to see a steady drumbeat of calls for Platner to end his bid for Senate. That included calls from high-profile Democrats, most notably Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said that the Senate Democrats' campaign arm wouldn't spend in the main race if Platner remains on the ballot.
MARTÍNEZ: Not the first time, though, that Graham Platner has dealt with a scandal.
MOORE: Right.
MARTÍNEZ: What makes this one different?
MOORE: Well, he's faced other allegations about his behavior towards women, but this is the first time a major news outlet is reporting an allegation of assault. And obviously, that's an extremely serious claim and one that follows several other pretty serious scandals. That includes, you know, back in May, when Platner's campaign confirmed reporting that he had exchanged sexually explicit messages with multiple women towards the start of his marriage, as well as last fall when past online comments Platner had made resurfaced, including some where he disparaged sexual assault victims.
In his response to a lot of these controversies, Platner has acknowledged he's not a perfect person. He's talked a lot about struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in the military, and he's argued these are experiences many voters can relate to.
MARTÍNEZ: Now to the politics of this because that's what happens. What does this mean for Democrats?
MOORE: Yeah. These allegations are a serious blow. Remember, this is a race Democrats have seen as key to taking back the Senate this fall. President Trump lost Maine in 2024, and party officials see incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins as vulnerable. Plus, despite all his controversies, Platner was neck and neck with Collins in recent polling, lifted by an economic populist message that's been resonating with folks who want political change.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, we heard Graham Platner say that he is reassessing. What happens if he decides to drop out?
MOORE: It's technical. Maine election law says that a general election candidate has to drop out on or before the second Monday in July. If Platner were to do that, Maine Democrats would have until the 27th to select a replacement. If that happens, A, it's currently unclear who that would be.
MARTÍNEZ: That is NPR political reporter Elena Moore. Elena, thanks.
MOORE: Thanks, A. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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