Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8
Democrats Drop Graham Platner After 2 Sexual Misconduct Allegations as Bongino Says Power Drove Reversal
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 8

Democrats Drop Graham Platner After 2 Sexual Misconduct Allegations as Bongino Says Power Drove Reversal

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8

Summary

  • Several Democrats, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Ro Khanna and Zohran Mamdani, have withdrawn support for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner or urged him to quit after a rape accusation and a second misconduct claim.
  • The second allegation surfaced about 24 hours later in a Washington Post report, accusing Platner of removing condoms during sex after his ex-girlfriend explicitly asked him to wear them.
  • Platner's campaign denied both accusations, calling the latter claim categorically false and politically motivated, as the scandal further damaged his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
  • Dan Bongino used the fallout to argue Democrats acted only after deciding Platner could no longer help them win power, not out of principle.

Insights

When serious allegations derail a campaign, what is the process for selecting a new candidate?
How should voters weigh a candidate's controversial past against their potential fitness for public office?
What do 'stealthing' accusations reveal about evolving legal and social definitions of sexual consent?