New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday became the latest Democratic figure to demand that Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner exit the race, following a sexual assault allegation from a woman who dated the candidate in 2021.
“I believe that it’s time for him to drop out of the race,” Mamdani said during an unrelated press conference, when asked about the situation. The mayor’s stance carries weight as a prominent democratic socialist whose endorsements have helped progressive candidates win recent primaries in New York.
Mamdani and Platner share some key backers, including Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has remained mum on the scandal, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who called for Platner’s withdrawal on Monday evening. Warren’s move was among the first high-profile defections.
The allegation came to light in a Politico report published Monday, in which Jenny Racicot said she dated Platner in 2021 and that he entered her home while drunk one night and assaulted her. The Maine Democratic Party, national Senate leaders, and the Senate Democratic campaign arm have all withdrawn support for the oyster farmer since the story broke.
Platner has denied the accusation but acknowledged he is weighing the “best path forward” for his campaign. The scandal has upended what Democrats hoped would be a competitive bid to unseat Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), a perennial target.
The fallout has been swift. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have also demanded Platner exit the race, and a new poll shows 75% of Maine voters want him out. The candidate’s campaign remains in limbo as pressure mounts from all sides.
Mamdani’s intervention underscores the progressive movement’s influence within the Democratic Party. His political organization, often dubbed the “Mamdani Machine,” has scored upset victories against the party establishment in New York. Now, that same network is turning against one of its own allies in Maine.
The race, once seen as a long-shot pickup opportunity, now appears all but lost for Democrats unless a replacement can be quickly nominated. Platner has not formally suspended his campaign, but the exodus of support suggests his candidacy is effectively over.
