Maine Democrat Platner suspended Senate bid after assault claim

Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner suspended his campaign in Maine on Wednesday, two days after a report published a former girlfriend’s allegation that he entered her home uninvited in 2021 and sexually assaulted her. Platner denied the claim but lost backing from state and national Democrats, including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and the party halted campaign funding. His exit jolts one of the party’s top pickup opportunities against Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a state won by Democrats in the 2024 presidential race. Platner said he would delay formal withdrawal paperwork until he was assured a replacement would be chosen through what he called an open, democratic process.