Florida Seeks Death Penalty in Murder Case Under New Immigration Law

Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee ended his campaign with a profanity-laced sign-off — “F*ck ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.” — after a former girlfriend told Politico and CNN he raped her.

Story Snapshot

Graham Platner formally withdrew from Maine’s U.S. Senate race on July 9, 2026, days after a former partner publicly accused him of sexual assault.
Jenny Rasico, who dated Platner for over two years, told Politico and CNN he entered her unlocked home while drunk in late 2021 and forced sex despite her repeated refusals.
Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren pulled their endorsements, and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said it would not spend money on his race.
No criminal charges have been filed, and Platner has denied all allegations, calling them “categorically false.”

A Candidate Collapses Under Assault Allegations

Graham Platner, an oyster farmer who won Maine’s Democratic Senate primary, suspended his campaign on July 9, 2026, and formally submitted withdrawal paperwork to state election officials. His exit came less than a week after Politico published an exclusive interview with Jenny Rasico, 41, who said Platner entered her unlocked home uninvited while intoxicated in late 2021 and forced sex on her. Rasico told CNN’s Jake Tapper directly: “By definition, yes” — when asked if Platner raped her.

Rasico said she has emails with her therapist and texts with friends from around the time of the incident. She told Politico: “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful with me.” A second former partner also came forward, telling The New York Times that Platner abused her, though specific details of that account were not publicly released. Platner denied everything, calling the claims “all false” in multiple video statements and suggesting the allegations were “weaponized by the Democratic establishment.”

Party Support Vanishes Almost Overnight

The political fallout was swift and total. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, both of whom had endorsed Platner, pulled their support and publicly called on him to drop out before Maine’s July 13 filing deadline. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced it would not invest funds in his campaign. Maine Democratic Party Executive Director Devin Murphy Anderson confirmed the party had lost all major endorsements and urged him to leave the race.

Legal experts cited in media coverage noted that the allegations, if proven, would be criminal. Maine’s statute of limitations for such crimes reportedly runs through 2041, leaving the door open for potential charges. However, no law enforcement agency has filed charges as of the reporting date. The absence of a criminal case means the allegations have not been tested in court, and no independent forensic evidence has been made public.

Democrats Left Scrambling in a Key Senate Race

Platner’s exit leaves Maine Democrats in a difficult spot. Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins was already leading Platner by five points in a recent poll, and she has strong appeal among independent voters. State law allowed Democrats to nominate a replacement candidate, provided Platner withdrew by July 13. Maine’s House speaker urged party leaders to let state voters — not national party insiders — choose who fills the spot on the ballot.

Graham Platner officially withdraws from Maine Senate race https://t.co/msnP3XPxxJ

— ABC11 EyewitnessNews (@ABC11_WTVD) July 11, 2026

Platner’s final letter to state election officials ended with the words: “F*ck ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.” — a sign-off that captured his anti-establishment brand but did little to help Democrats regroup. His campaign had already drawn controversy before the assault allegation surfaced, including reports about Nazi tattoos and other inappropriate conduct. For many voters on both sides of the aisle, the episode is one more example of party leaders backing a candidate without doing the basic vetting that protects voters from exactly this kind of mess.