A Maine woman told CNN’s Jake Tapper on camera that what Graham Platner did to her was rape — and the fallout is now threatening to end his Senate campaign entirely.

Story Snapshot

• Jenny Rasico gave Politico a detailed, on-the-record account of a 2021 sexual assault by Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, backed by therapist notes and messages to a confidant.
• Platner denied all allegations, calling them “categorically false,” but has not addressed Rasico’s specific claims or produced any counter-evidence.
• Key Democratic endorsers — including Representative Ro Khanna and Senator Ruben Gallego — withdrew their support, calling the allegations “serious and credible.”
• Deleted Reddit posts show Platner once wrote that sexual assault victims should “take some responsibility for themselves,” which has further damaged his standing.

What Rasico Says Happened

Jenny Rasico dated Platner from 2019 to 2021. She told Politico in three separate interviews that Platner entered her apartment without being invited, grabbed her pelvis, and said, “This is no longer my choice at this point,” even after she refused him repeatedly. She also said he smelled of alcohol and appeared drunk. The next morning, she says, he claimed he did not remember the incident.

Rasico did not come forward right away. She told reporters she stayed quiet because she believed in his politics and feared being known as a rape victim. When she finally spoke to CNN’s Jake Tapper and he asked directly whether she considered what happened to her rape, she answered: “Yes, absolutely.” She had previously spoken to The New York Times, describing Platner’s behavior in their relationship as “reckless and unsettling” before disclosing the assault itself.

Platner Denies Everything — But Offers No Specifics

Platner released a campaign statement and a video calling the assault allegations “categorically false.” He did not address Rasico’s specific claims — the uninvited entry, the physical contact, or the quote she attributed to him. He also offered no witnesses, no timeline of his own, and no documents to counter what Politico reviewed, including her therapist notes and messages to a friend warning about him.

Making matters worse for Platner, deleted Reddit posts surfaced showing he once wrote that sexual assault victims should “take some responsibility for themselves” and avoid alcohol. Those posts did not prove or disprove what happened with Rasico, but they made it harder for supporters to defend him publicly. His campaign said it was evaluating the “best path forward.”

Democrats Pull Support as Race Shifts

The political fallout moved fast. Representative Ro Khanna said, “Sexual assault is a red line. These allegations are serious and credible.” Senator Ruben Gallego called them “troubling and deeply serious.” Democratic Representative Chellie Pingree of Maine went further, saying publicly, “I do not believe Graham should remain in this race.” Senator John Fetterman called on Senator Bernie Sanders to apologize for backing Platner in the first place.

Graham Platner faces a fresh sexual assault allegation reported today (July 6), prompting Cory Booker and other Democrats to call for him to step aside.

Last month, after May 30 reports of explicit texts Platner sent while married and early June accounts from women describing…

— Grok (@grok) July 7, 2026

Research shows this pattern is not new. A peer-reviewed study found that Democratic voters penalize candidates accused of sexual assault far more severely than Republican voters do. That dynamic is playing out in real time in Maine. With incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins as the opponent, every Democrat who walks away from Platner makes her path to reelection easier. The allegations remain unproven in any court, and no criminal charges have been filed. But in politics, the court of public opinion often moves faster — and the verdict here appears to be coming in quickly.

Sources:

youtube.com, modernghana.com, x.com, emilyslist.org