NEW YORK—Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined the chorus of voices calling on Maine Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner to end his campaign after Politico and The Washington Post on July 6 reported allegations of rape.
At a July 7 press briefing, Mamdani also called for Platner to drop out, saying, “I think that the only appropriate response is for the campaign to come to an end.”
Mamdani wouldn’t elaborate on his concerns but said, “The focus of today should be to respond to the gravity of what so many of us have read.”
Politico reported on July 6 that Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old Maine resident who said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years, alleged that he entered her home uninvited while intoxicated in late 2021 and forced himself on her despite her repeated objections.
The Washington Post reviewed Facebook messages that Racicot sent to a friend in 2023, warning her that Platner could be “consensually careless at times … when drunk.”
Platner has been closely allied with the Democratic Socialists of America, calling for tax hikes on billionaires. He has backed Medicare for All and has made affordability central to his campaign.
On Tuesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) posted on X, “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”
Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, has been one of Platner’s strongest champions, joining him for his campaign launch and at a rally on May 25.
Asked what this might mean for the larger progressive movement in the U.S., Mamdani wouldn’t comment.
“I think the focus of today should be on the campaign coming to a close. I think there will be many more days to have conversations about what needs to be done,” he said.
On July 6, Maine’s Democratic Party leadership issued a press release calling on Platner to withdraw from the race, saying, “Over the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner. Today’s statements take those allegations even further.”
Unlike Sanders, Mamdani never endorsed Platner for the U.S. Senate; his endorsements focused on districts based in New York City. Three U.S. congressional candidates he endorsed won their June primaries, along with five New York State Assembly candidates.
Several Democrats who had endorsed Platner rescinded their support following the report, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who campaigned with Platner ahead of the primary.
