Bernie Sanders endorsed Graham Platner for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat, called him the future of progressive politics — then reversed course and told him to drop out after a woman accused Platner of rape.

Story Snapshot

• A Maine woman named Jenny Racicot told Politico that Platner entered her home drunk in 2021 and forced himself on her. Platner calls the allegation “categorically false.”
• Sanders, who had strongly backed Platner and stood by him through earlier scandals, spoke with Platner directly and recommended he leave the race.
• Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and Maine Democratic Party leaders all called on Platner to step down.
• Platner has until July 13 to withdraw. If he does, Maine Democrats have until July 27 to name a replacement on the ballot.

From Strong Endorsement to “Drop Out”

Sanders endorsed Platner on June 10, 2026, publicly vowing to do “everything I can” to make him Maine’s next senator. Even after a Wall Street Journal report revealed Platner had sent explicit text messages to multiple women after his 2024 marriage, Sanders refused to pull back. He told reporters “certainly not” when asked if he was rethinking his support. That firm stance lasted until a far more serious allegation surfaced on July 7.

Politico published an account from Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine woman who said she dated Platner on and off from 2019 to 2021. She told Politico that Platner showed up at her home uninvited one night in late 2021, drunk, and forced himself on her despite her repeated objections. When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked her directly if Platner raped her, she answered, “By definition, yes, absolutely.” Platner denied everything, calling the claims “troubling, serious, and false.”

Democrats Pull Support En Masse

The political fallout was swift. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the allegations “very serious and credible” and urged Platner to exit the race. Senator Elizabeth Warren, one of Platner’s high-profile backers, also asked him to step down. The Maine Democratic Party had already called on him to drop out hours after the Politico story broke. The Democratic Senate Campaign Committee withdrew its support as well.

Sanders broke his silence after the rape allegation became public. According to reporting, he spoke with Platner directly and recommended he withdraw from the race. That was a sharp turn from just weeks earlier, when Sanders had appeared at campaign events alongside Platner and doubled down on his endorsement even as controversy mounted. Platner said he was taking time to “reflect” on the best path forward but had not announced a decision as of the reporting deadline.

A Troubled Candidacy From the Start

The rape allegation was not Platner’s first controversy. Earlier reporting revealed he had a chest tattoo resembling a Nazi SS symbol, which he said he got as a Marine in 2007 without knowing its meaning. He later had it covered. A separate report cited Platner making a crude remark about a U.S. soldier killed by the Taliban. His wife, Amy Gertner, released a video calling the sexting coverage “gossip” and saying “being married is hard,” which acknowledged the situation without directly disputing it.

🇺🇸BREAKING: Bernie Sanders says he spoke with Graham Platner and recommended he drop out of the Maine Senate race.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have now also urged Platner to exit the race, and Rashida Tlaib rescinded her endorsement. https://t.co/kQrrXkNige pic.twitter.com/KaRl6eERg3

— NewsForce (@Newsforce) July 7, 2026

This story follows a pattern seen elsewhere in 2026 Democratic politics. Representative Eric Swalwell’s California governor campaign collapsed after sexual assault allegations surfaced — he denied them but ultimately withdrew from the race. In Platner’s case, no criminal charges have been filed and no court has ruled on Racicot’s account. The allegation remains unproven in a legal sense. But in modern political campaigns, that distinction rarely slows the rush to the exits — and this race is no exception.

Sources:

redstate.com, foxnews.com, thehill.com, youtube.com, mainepublic.org, nytimes.com, abc7chicago.com