Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Maine, is facing renewed scrutiny following the resurfacing of a 2013 online post in which he made controversial remarks about rape victims. The comments, made on Reddit, suggest that victims should “take some responsibility” to avoid sexual assault, particularly when intoxicated.
Controversial Reddit Post Surfaces
In the 2013 post, Platner responded to a discussion about women’s safety when drinking. He wrote, “Holy f-ck, how about people just take some responsibility for themselves and not get so f—ed up they wind up having sex with someone they don’t mean to?” He elaborated, stating, “Men and women, you make a choice to consume enough of a substance to lose your self control. So if you don’t want to be in a compromising situation, act like an adult for f—s sake.” Platner further added, “Rape is a real thing, if you’re so worried about it to buy Kevlar underwear you’d think you might not get blacked out f—ed up around people you aren’t comfortable with.”
Rape Allegation Against Platner
The resurfaced comments come as Platner’s campaign is already dealing with a serious sexual assault allegation. Jenny Racicot, Platner’s former girlfriend, accused him of rape in late 2021. She stated that Platner, while intoxicated, broke into her home and forced himself on her despite her objections. Racicot recounted the experience to Politico, saying, “I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me. I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’” Racicot also mentioned that her hesitation to come forward sooner stemmed from a “huge moral conflict” between supporting Platner’s political platform and her personal feelings about him.
Platner has denied Racicot’s allegation. The initial report of this accusation was made by Politico on July 6.
Ex-Girlfriend Corroborates Alcohol Abuse Allegations
Another former girlfriend, Lyndsey Fifield, has also spoken out, corroborating claims that Platner has struggled with alcohol abuse. In an interview with The New York Times in June, Fifield described Platner as someone who “too often self medicated with alcohol, and was a far from perfect boyfriend.” She additionally accused Platner of emotional abuse and intimidation, allegations that Platner also denies.
Fifield expressed concern about Platner’s potential political future, stating, “You can’t be that way in private and not have it translate into how you would govern or how you would legislate. It terrifies me to think of him having any type of power politically, because what is he going to do with the women in his office?”
Platner Resists Calls to Withdraw
Despite the mounting accusations and the withdrawal of endorsements from several prominent Democrats, Graham Platner has thus far resisted calls to step down from the Senate race. A critical deadline for the party to select a replacement candidate is approaching; Platner must withdraw by July 13 for Democrats to be able to name a new nominee by July 27.
Past Criticism of Republican Candidates
Adding another layer to the controversy, a separate Reddit post from 2018 has also drawn attention. In that post, Platner criticized Republicans for supporting candidates accused of sexual misconduct. He wrote, “Ah yes, the old ‘I’ll vote for the sexual predator/corrupt candidate scheme because he’s a Republican’ game,” in response to a now-deleted post on a firearms subreddit.
The Platner campaign did not provide a comment when reached for a statement regarding these developments.
