This is like a movie where the villain (in this case Susan Collins) gets the upper hand in the middle of the third act. Graham Platner now has an accusation of sexual assault against him. He made a video to address it and vaguely alluded to pausing his campaign but he didn’t speak of suspending it outright. He ends his piece with, “As goes Maine so goes the nation.” As goes Maine so goes rulership of the Senate. This snafu on Platner’s part is very troublesome. Democrats cannot retake the Senate without Maine. Plus, the idea of Susan Collins sticking around is appalling.
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 6, 2026
A lot of Democrats are ready to throw Platner overboard. Let’s not do another Al Franken on this, shall we? I agree that a report of sexual assault is egregious. I also find it interesting that oppo research only just now unearthed that particular allegation. I’m not saying the woman is lying, I’m saying we don’t have enough facts yet.
And the irony of it all is that we have a sitting president who has been convicted of sexual assault and defamation. So on the Republican side of the aisle these allegations don’t carry the weight that they reasonably should. So is this another case of It’s Okay If You’re A Republican?
If Al Franken had been a Republican he wouldn’t have been aced out of the Senate for a years-old photograph showing him horsing around, back in the days when he was a comedian. Show business is a sexualized atmosphere. Franken’s actions weren’t out of line at all for that milieu but were deemed unacceptable years later for a sitting senator.
Which way will Platner go? It’s a big question because control of the Senate lies in the balance.
