Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Graham Platner on Monday categorically denied a new allegation of sexual assault leveled by a former girlfriend, releasing a roughly two-minute video address amid mounting pressure on his campaign against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
In the video, posted to X, the combat veteran and oyster farmer appeared in a casual home setting, speaking directly to the camera in a serious tone. Platner rejected claims made by Jenny Racicot, 41, who told POLITICO that he entered her rural Maine home uninvited in late 2021 while intoxicated and forced non-consensual sex despite her repeated objections.
“These allegations are troubling, serious, and false,” Platner said. “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”
His campaign issued a broader statement calling the allegations “coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives.” It noted the timing, coming about a week before a key ballot deadline, and compared it to prior controversies that failed to derail his primary victory. “Graham began this campaign to fight for a Maine where everyone is treated with dignity and where Mainers are put first,” the statement said.
The accusation is the latest in a string of personal controversies dogging Platner since he launched his bid. Previous reports detailed offensive past online posts, a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol (which he said he did not understand at the time), and accounts from other women describing unsettling or demeaning behavior during relationships. Platner has previously attributed some issues to struggles with post-traumatic stress, depression, and alcohol following military service, while denying physical violence or non-consensual acts.
Racicot, who dated Platner on and off from 2019 to 2021, provided corroborating accounts to POLITICO from friends, a therapist, and messages. She said she did not report the incident to police at the time.
“I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” Racicot told Politico. “I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”
Platner, who won the Democratic nomination in June, has positioned himself as a populist challenger to the longtime moderate Collins.
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