Maine Democrat says he’s considering entering Senate race amid Platner fallout

Campaign Maine Democrat says he’s considering entering Senate race amid Platner fallout Comments: by Sarah Davis - 07/07/26 12:35 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Sarah Davis - 07/07/26 12:35 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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Maine Democrat Nirav Shah said Tuesday he is weighing a Senate bid in the wake of a new allegation of sexual assault made against Democratic nominee Graham Platner, who is taking some time to reevaluate his campaign.

The former state public health chief previously ran in Maine’s gubernatorial race this year, coming up short in the Democratic primary.

“In the past 24 hours, my team and I have received hundreds of encouraging messages, as Graham Platner has signaled he will withdraw from Maine’s US Senate race,” Shah wrote in a social media post.

“Right now, our number one priority must be defeating Senator Susan Collins,” he continued, referring to the GOP incumbent. “I have been having conversations with my wife, my team, and Mainers across the state about what comes next and evaluating whether I should enter the Senate race.”

Several of Platner’s supporters have pulled their endorsements for the oyster farmer after Politico published an account from a woman he used to date, Jenny Racicot, who said he forced her to have sex with him while he was intoxicated in 2021.

In a two-minute video released shortly after the story was published, Platner denied the accusations but said his campaign is “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.”

The new allegation follows a series of scandals surrounding Platner’s campaign, including since-deleted Reddit posts where he downplayed sexual assault and allegations of physical intimidation and abusive behavior from several former romantic partners.

The Maine Democratic Party urged Platner to drop out in a Monday statement. If Platner exits the race by the Monday ballot deadline, the party would have until July 27 to name his replacement.

In a joint statement, the leaders of the state group commended the women who came forward with allegations, noting that “speaking up is often costly.”

“This Senate race comes at a pivotal moment in the struggle against a government, supported by Senator Collins, that serves the interests of the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary Maine people,” they wrote. “It is essential that we refocus this campaign on that struggle.”

Troy Jackson, who also ran in the state’s Democratic gubernatorial primary, has also indicated his interest in entering the Senate race if Platner leaves.

“This is a very, very serious allegation, but I haven’t talked to Graham,” Jackson told the Bangor Daily News in a Monday interview. “This is something I never considered, but if Graham’s stepping away, I am very, very interested and think I’m the best person to replace him.”