Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Maine U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Graham Platner said Monday he is \u201ctaking the time to reflect on the best path forward\u201d for his candidacy minutes after POLITICO reported<\/a> that a woman who dated him said he forced her to have sex with him.<\/p>\n Platner denied the allegation, but he said in a roughly two-minute video posted to social media on Monday<\/a> that he is \u201cmindful of the political reality\u201d the reporting \u201cwill inflict.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRegardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,\u201d Platner said.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the first time that Platner \u2014 despite a series of scandals ranging from controversial online posts<\/a> to earlier accusations about his behavior with women<\/a> to a tattoo with Nazi ties<\/a> \u2014 has indicated he was considering exiting the race.<\/p>\n His comments come after 41-year-old Maine resident Jenny Racicot told POLITICO that Platner entered her home uninvited five years ago and forced himself on her despite her repeatedly telling him to stop. She said she cut off contact with him after telling him that his actions that night were not consensual.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,\u201d Racicot said. \u201cI remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, \u2018This is no longer my choice.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n In his video, Platner called the allegation \u201ctroubling\u201d and \u201cserious\u201d while denying it. He said his ultimate goal is defeating GOP Sen. Susan Collins in November.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery one of you deserves to see that vision come to fruition and see Susan Collins defeated,\u201d Platner said, vowing to \u201cuse every tool at our disposal to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n Democrats can still replace Platner on the ballot, but only if he chooses to drop out<\/a> before the July 13 deadline outlined in Maine state law. If he were to drop out, the state Democratic Party would have to choose his replacement by July 27.<\/p>\n Many progressives, both elected officials and commentators, have stood behind Platner\u2019s past scandals. But some said they found POLITICO\u2019s report incredibly troubling for Platner in the immediate aftermath on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is curtains,\u201d progressive commentator Hasan Piker said of Platner\u2019s candidacy while reading the article to his Twitch audience. \u201cI believe this allegation.”<\/p>\n Fellow progressive commentator Emma Vigeland called the allegation \u201cimmensely damaging\u201d while arguing that Platner had not been fully truthful during past scandals.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Platner campaign insisted that nothing new was coming, and that was obviously not the truth. Just devastating,\u201d she said on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n