Mamdani urges Senate candidate to drop out after | Political News

Zohran Mamdani is asking on Graham Platner to drop his bid for a Maine Senate seat after a rape accusation rocked the scandal-prone candidate.

“I believe that it’s time for him to drop out of the race,” said the New York City mayor, who shares a progressive strategist, Morris Katz, with Platner. “I feel the main focus of today needs to be to reply to the gravity of what so many of us have read, and I feel the only applicable response is for the marketing campaign to come to an end,” Mamdani told reporters in City Hall.

The mayor joined a number of other distinguished Democrats, including New York senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who rescinded their endorsements and urged Platner to drop out. “The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing – violence, abuse and inappropriate assault are absolutely unacceptable,” Schumer and Gillibrand said in a joint assertion.

“Graham Platner needs to immediately withdraw as the Democratic nominee for Senate and allow Maine Democrats the opportunity to choose a new candidate who can defeat Susan Collins.”

It comes as Platner’s former girlfriend claimed that she was pressured to have intercourse with him almost 5 years in the past despite repeated objections.

Jenny Racicot, 41, told Politico about the alleged incident in a number of interviews over the past two weeks. Racicot said she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner, who is now the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, for more than two years.

She claims Platner entered her home uninvited one evening in late 2021 while intoxicated and pressured himself on her while she repeatedly told him to stop.

Racicot told the outlet that she cut off contact with him after telling him that the encounter wasn’t consensual. “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me,” she said.

“I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’”

Platner has denied the allegations, calling them “troubling, serious, and false,” in a assertion. “Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue.”

Democratic fallout

State leaders in the Maine Democratic Party had been fast to call on Platner to withdraw his candidacy.

“We are entrusted with deciding who represents our values and who carries our banner,” they wrote in a assertion. “That responsibility requires judgment, leadership, and a willingness to act when circumstances demand it.”

In a video assertion, Platner said he can be reassessing his marketing campaign, but did not immediately step apart. “Regardless 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,” he said.

California Rep. Ro Khanna, who, like other big-name Democrats, stood by Platner amid his earlier scandals, also urged him to drop out of the race.

“I’ve been very clear that inappropriate assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna said in a assertion. “These allegations are very serious and credible.”

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego called the accusations “troubling and deeply serious.” He said on social media that he would rescind his endorsement, but did not explicitly call for Platner to drop out.

If Platner had been to drop out, Democrats might substitute him, but they might have to act shortly. Under Maine law, he has until Monday to drop out. After that, a new candidate would have until July 27 to declare their candidacy.

The Express US has reached out to Platner for remark.