Democrats began withdrawing Blatner’s endorsement after the Maine Senate candidate faced sexual assault allegations

A woman who was previously in a relationship with Graham Blattner, the Democratic Senate candidate for Maine, said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she asked him to stop, Politico reported, prompting prominent supporters to withdraw their endorsements and throwing a must-win race for the party into turmoil.

Blatner denied the allegations on Monday, but said he would consider his campaign’s next steps.

He watches: Tamara Keith and Carrie Dunn on Blatner are facing calls to withdraw from the Maine Senate race

“No matter how inaccurate the reports are, but taking into account the political reality it will bring, we are taking the time to think about the best way forward,” he said in a video posted on social media.

Jenny Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Blatner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. Racicot said she had an on-and-off relationship with Plattner, but cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident was not consensual. A voice message left at a number listed for Racicot seeking comment did not receive an immediate response, but she said in an interview with CNN on Monday evening that she chose not to fight for fear that Plattner, a former Marine, would become more violent.

“He violated multiple layers of consent that night,” Racicot said.

Read more: How Maine Democrats view the Platner scandals and chances of ousting Senator Collins

Blatner’s campaign did not immediately respond to an email and phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

“Any accusation of non-consensual conduct is categorically false,” Blattner said in his video.

Uproar in the Democratic Party

Blatner won the Democratic nomination last month, pitting himself against Republican Senator Susan Collins, who has fended off previous attempts to remove her from the seat she has held for nearly three decades.

Although Blatner has long been controversial, the sex allegation led to a distancing from the candidate, who canceled a number of town hall events. The Democrats’ main campaign arm in the Senate called on Blattner to withdraw and said it would not spend any money on the race, which is considered crucial for control of the chamber, if he is the nominee.

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“Graham Blatner needs to immediately withdraw from his position as the Democratic Senate nominee and allow Maine Democrats to choose a new nominee who can defeat Susan Collins,” Kirsten Gillibrand, Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic Leader, said in a joint statement.

The Democratic National Committee sent out an email requesting money for Senate races hours after the Politico report was published, but Maine wasn’t one of them. “Maine Democrats must choose a new nominee,” said Ken Martin, the party’s chairman.

Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who has stood by Blatner even when the nominee has faced past controversies, said Monday’s allegations were enough. “I have been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna said. “These allegations are extremely serious and credible. Graham Blatner should withdraw from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”

Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren announced they would withdraw their endorsement and called on Blatner to withdraw. Democratic leaders in the Maine Legislature and top officials in the state Democratic Party have done the same.

Read more: Graham Blattner holds a rally in Maine with Rep. Ro Khanna as scandals rock his campaign

“This Senate race comes at a pivotal moment in the fight against government, supported by Senator Collins, that serves the interests of the rich and powerful at the expense of ordinary people in Maine,” party Chairman Charlie Dingman, Vice Chair Imke Schisler, and Executive Director Devon Murphy Anderson said in a joint statement. “It is imperative that we refocus this campaign on this struggle.”

Collins issued only a brief statement.

“These allegations are horrific,” she said. “However, it is not my place to choose the Democratic nominee for Senate.”

State law allows Blattner to be replaced on the ballot if he withdraws by July 13. The replacement nominee must be named by July 27.

The Associated Press generally does not mention victims of sexual assault, but in this case Racicot spoke in an interview with Politico.

A series of disputes over the election campaign

Blatner had never held elected office before, and Democratic leaders in Washington favored Gov. Janet Mills in the primary. But Mills (78 years old) withdrew from the election, while Blattner (41 years old) consolidated his support with the help of progressive leaders at a time when Democratic voters became disillusioned with the party establishment.

While some Democrats came to support him after his landslide primary victory, Blatner’s controversial history has already left others openly despairing of their chances of winning the race. Plattner, a war veteran who also worked for a private security contractor, has a chest tattoo considered a Nazi symbol, reportedly sexted with other women shortly after marriage and had a history of inflammatory comments on social media.

In 2013, Blatner posted on Reddit that people shouldn’t get so drunk “that they end up having sex with someone they didn’t mean to,” and that victims of sexual assault should “take some responsibility for themselves.” He has since apologized for the post and says he no longer holds those beliefs.

The New York Times also reported that Blatner had volatile relationships with his ex-girlfriends, with one saying the fights became physical. Plattner denied the allegation.

Hassan Baker, a left-wing commentator who supported Blatner, appeared to reverse his position on Monday after the Politico report.

“If new evidence comes to light, I will change my view – it’s that simple,” Baker said during a live stream on Twitch, adding: “This is a clear example of verifiable sexual assault allegations. It’s completely irreparable.”

Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, said Blatner should withdraw because the allegations are “too serious to be treated as a distraction from the campaign or the issues.”

He also hinted at a potential battle over who will replace Plattner.

“Whoever leads this movement forward must be someone who has already lived the fight that Graham Blattner fought: a record with workers, with unions, against corporate money, already tested and trusted by the same base that achieved this result,” said a statement from Joseph Gevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution.

Blatner has portrayed himself as a blue-collar oyster man and war veteran who can reach disaffected voters. But as the controversy escalated, some Democrats in the state felt the burn, exemplified by Mills’ refusal to endorse Blattner after she withdrew from the primary. Word has spread about potential replacements, including former state senator and logger Troy Jackson and Secretary of State Sheena Bellows.

“I knew this was coming,” said Mary Volitar, a Democrat and community organizer in Maine, speaking of growing whispers within the state’s young population that they were bracing for another discovery surrounding Blatner. “I was scared and I was tired of waiting.”

Mike Connelly, a business owner and Democrat in Brunswick, Maine, said in an interview that he wants Blatner to drop out after the latest accusations. But Connelly said he would vote for him if he remained in office.

“I will vote for a comatose Democrat before I vote for Susan Collins,” Connelly said.

Jesse Bedaine contributed from Austin, Texas, Meg Kennard contributed from Columbia, South Carolina, and Ali Swenson contributed from New York.