Read, Watch or Listen

WASHINGTON — Maine’s 2026 U.S. Senate race was thrown into turmoil on July 8, 2026, when Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders withdrew his endorsement of Democratic nominee Graham Platner following the publication of a sexual assault allegation. Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats and had been one of Platner’s most prominent national supporters, publicly urged the 41-year-old Marine Corps veteran and oyster farmer to end his campaign, citing the seriousness of the accusation. The move added to mounting pressure from national and state Democratic leaders who had already begun calling for Platner to step aside, creating an unprecedented crisis for the party as it seeks to protect its chances of winning a Senate majority. AUGUSTA, Maine — Platner, a political newcomer who ran a populist campaign, secured the Democratic nomination on June 9, 2026, with 72% of the primary vote, after sidelining several established figures, including Governor Janet Mills, who suspended her own campaign in April. He had been positioned to challenge five-term Republican Senator Susan Collins in what analysts viewed as one of the most competitive and consequential contests of the 2026 midterm elections. Platner’s campaign began to unravel after Politico published an investigative report detailing an allegation from a former girlfriend, who accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner has strongly denied the accusation, calling it “troubling, serious and false,” but the report has led key supporters and party officials to argue that his continued candidacy is untenable.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.