Maine Democrats split over Graham Platner's exit from Senate race, days before election
Nearly four months after Graham Platner left Maine's Democratic Senate ticket over a rape allegation and other accusations, some local Democrats still resent how it ended. Platner, now back to oyster farming, told New York Post reporters little as replacement Troy Jackson polls narrowly ahead of Sen. Susan Collins.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1Graham Platner, the Democratic Senate candidate in Maine, dropped out of the race in July after a rape accusation from Jenny Racicot, and Troy Jackson, a state senator, replaced him on the ballot. New York PostR “Almost four months after Platner was forced out of his Senate race due to a rape accusation” Read at New York Post ↗ New York PostR “since dropping out of the Senate race in July” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1According to the New York Post, Racicot accused Platner of storming drunk into her home in 2021 and forcing himself on her; Platner denied the accusation, and the Post reported that support from party leaders then dried up. New York PostR “Platner vehemently denied the accusation, but dropped out nonetheless as support dried up from the party bosses.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2Platner had also faced other accusations and revelations, including a Nazi Death's Head tattoo, sexting women who were not his wife, violence toward former partners, and old internet posts about rape and police. According to the Post, Platner admitted to sexting but denied the rest, said the tattoo was gotten while drunk with fellow Marines without knowing its history, and attributed the online comments to PTSD. New York PostR “The Democrat — who was soaring in the polls and beloved by leading leftists in Washington — copped to sexting, but denied all the rest.”“He later got the tattoo covered and claimed he’d gotten it while drunk with fellow Marines” Read at New York Post ↗ BreitbartR “The Democrat admitted to sexting but has denied all other allegations, per the report.” Read at Breitbart ↗
Right · 1At a Jackson town hall in Waterville on Monday, several Democrats told the New York Post they wished Platner were still the nominee. Former Waterville Mayor Karen Heck said the establishment did not want Platner mobilizing first-time voters, and she called the timing of the allegation suspicious. New York PostR ““The establishment did not want him to be out there mobilizing people who had never voted before, just for change,””“Heck contended that the timing of the story on Jenny Racicot’s rape accusations against Platner just before the deadline for him to drop out was very suspicious” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Heck also said circumstances around the allegation were never investigated and questioned why Platner is not being prosecuted if it is credible; she said she will vote for Jackson anyway. The Post's article does not report any charges against Platner. New York PostR “questioned why he isn’t being prosecuted if the allegations are credible”““I’m going to vote for him.”” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Another attendee, Wanda Fortin, said the way it unfolded seemed unfair and suspected Democratic operatives were behind the timing, though she said Platner would need to clear their name; the Post reports many backers hope Platner runs again. New York PostR ““The way it all came down, I just thought it was pretty unfair.””“Many at Jackson’s rally hope Platner runs again” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1Not all Democrats mourned the exit: a Colby College student, Beckett Stratter, said they were very anti-Platner because of the Nazi tattoos, and some local voters in Platner's hometown area of Sullivan said the allegations turned them off. New York PostR ““I was very, very anti-Graham Platner at the time.” Read at New York Post ↗ New York PostR ““I heard all the negativity, and it was a turn-off for me,”” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Platner had beaten former Gov. Janet Mills, the establishment pick, in the Democratic primary and had at one point polled 7 points ahead of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). Jackson, who has said "I didn’t build this movement," now leads Collins by about 1.2 to under 2 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average. New York PostR “easily trounced establishment pick, former Gov. Janet Mills, in the Democratic primary”“At the moment, Jackson has a 1.2 percentage point edge over Collins in the latest RealClearPolitics aggregate of polls.” Read at New York Post ↗ New York PostR “Platner at one point was polling 7 points ahead of Collins” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 2The Post caught up with Platner in Sullivan, a week before the Nov. 3 election, after they paddled a kayak to shore. Asked what they were up to, Platner replied, "I’m being an oyster farmer," with an expletive, and declined to give predictions about the election. Breitbart relayed the exchange from a video of the Post's encounter. New York PostR “Platner had just paddled to shore on a kayak, leaving his boat anchored in the water.”“refusing to answer questions about predictions for the Nov. 3 election.” Read at New York Post ↗ BreitbartR “in a video posted Thursday.” Read at Breitbart ↗
Right · 1Sullivan residents quoted by the Post gave mixed views: deli owner Josh Winer said Platner looks healthier and is "just a regular person again," while a fruit seller said Platner is "not a favorite around here. Especially with the women." New York PostR ““He looks a whole lot more healthy than he did,” said Dunbar Store owner Josh Winer”““He’s not a favorite around here. Especially with the women,” one local fruit seller said.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets present Platner as a disgraced figure, with headlines leading on 'alleged' or 'accused rapist'. The Post frames the story as lingering Democratic resentment and Platner's irritable return to oyster farming; Breitbart repackages the Post's encounter as a video item.
- Emphasis
- Platner's profanity, the contrast between their working-class image and privileged background, the pile of scandals, and the weaker enthusiasm for Jackson.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No Platner campaign or party statement beyond brief quotes; no account from Racicot beyond the Post's summary; coverage does not report any charges or investigation outcome, and only the Post gives the Democratic dissenters' view.
- Charged language
- “Alleged rapist”“Accused rapist”“disgraced pol”“scandal magnet”“politically radioactive”“crashing out”“Disgraced former Maine U.S. Senate candidate”“pissed as ever”
- For example
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“Graham Platner supporters are still pining for the disgraced pol just days before the US Senate election” — New York Post
“Platner is ornery as ever after being forced to go back to work as a Maine oysterman” — New York Post
“Disgraced former Maine U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner (D), whose political aspirations were ended over rape and sexual misconduct allegations” — Breitbart
What every side reports
- Platner dropped out of Maine's Senate race in July and state Sen. Troy Jackson replaced them as the Democratic nominee.
- Platner denied the rape allegation and has returned to oyster farming in Sullivan, Maine.
- The election is on Nov. 3 and Jackson is in a close race with Sen. Susan Collins.
Where accounts differ
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Whether Platner was wrongly pushed out
- Right
- Both outlets are right-leaning and give no direct counter-account. The Post quotes local Democrats who say Platner was treated unfairly by the establishment, alongside others relieved by the exit; the Post and Breitbart headlines call Platner an accused or alleged rapist and describe them as disgraced.
Graham Platner person
Denied the rape allegation and all accusations except sexting, per the Post; has dropped out, stays out of the spotlight and gave curt answers about farming oysters.
“Platner vehemently denied the accusation, but dropped out nonetheless” — New York Post
““It goes the way it always goes, friend.”” — New York Post
Troy Jackson person
Jackson, Platner's replacement, has largely avoided dwelling on the Platner episode and says the movement is bigger than any one person, while trailing Platner's excitement among supporters.
““You are right. I didn’t build this movement,” he told a voter in September.” — New York Post
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right3 articles
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Mixed Reports Democratic supporters' grievances about Platner's exit and Jackson's lack of energy while labelling Platner an alleged rapist and scandal magnet.
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Critical Mocking account of an expletive-laced run-in with Platner, stressing debunked-image details and the scandals.
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Critical Video-based rewrite of the Post's encounter, calling Platner disgraced and an accused rapist.
- 28 Oct 20:32 First New York PostR Alleged rapist Graham Platner still has plenty of backers in Maine — who claim Dem establishment did him dirty
- 29 Oct 09:30 +12h 58m New York PostR Accused rapist Graham Platner is pissed as ever after crashing out of Maine Senate race: ‘Who the f–k are you weirdos’
- 29 Oct 17:31 +20h 59m BreitbartR WATCH -- Accused Rapist Graham Platner Angry as Ever After Dropping Out of Maine Senate Race: ‘Who the F—k Are You Weirdos’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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