Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona who has openly considered a presidential run in 2028, is facing renewed scrutiny over his decision-making after withdrawing his support from a second Democratic candidate embroiled in allegations of misconduct involving women. The latest instance saw Gallego retract his endorsement of Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner on Monday, following the emergence of a rape allegation against him.
This development closely follows a similar situation just months prior, where Gallego was compelled to withdraw his backing from Eric Swalwell’s ultimately unsuccessful California gubernatorial campaign. Swalwell’s bid was derailed by separate accusations of sexual assault and misconduct. Both Platner and Swalwell have consistently denied the allegations leveled against them.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Gallego described the accusations against Platner as “troubling and deeply serious” as he announced the withdrawal of his support. However, Lyndsey Fifield, Platner’s former girlfriend and a vocal accuser of abusive behavior, publicly challenged Gallego’s timing. She suggested that the Arizona senator had been aware of warning signs regarding Platner long before finally distancing himself from the embattled Maine Democrat.
Fifield directly questioned Gallego on X, “Mine weren’t sufficiently troubling or serious for you, right?” Her remark was a pointed response to Gallego’s social media post, referencing her accounts of their past relationship, which had been detailed in a New York Times report published several weeks earlier.
The New York Times article, released on June 4, examined Platner’s history in relationships. Fifield alleged that during their time together several years ago, Platner had a pattern of grabbing her forcefully enough to leave bruises, pulling her from a taxi by her wrist, and on one occasion, confining her in a room after twisting her arm behind her back. While Fifield stated that Platner never physically struck her, she described the alleged incidents as deeply unsettling and fear-inducing.
Platner has denied the allegations, characterizing them as false and asserting he was never violent. Despite these accusations, Platner had garnered support from several influential Democratic figures both before and after the New York Times report surfaced.
Jon Lovett, a co-host of the podcast “Pod Save America,” acknowledged the New York Times report detailing allegations that Platner had been “intimidating and even physically aggressive with past romantic partners.” Lovett, however, argued that Democrats needed to consider the broader political implications, weighing the benefit of a Democratic Senate majority with Platner against the alternative of a Republican majority led by incumbent Senator Susan Collins.
Earlier, fellow “Pod Save America” co-host Jon Favreau had spoken highly of Platner, calling him the Democrats’ “best and only chance” to unseat Collins and describing him as a “good, decent man who’s struggled and grown and is always trying to do better.”
A spokesperson for Senator Gallego commented that the senator “did the right thing and broke with those individuals when he learned they had betrayed values he proudly fights for.”
However, Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, suggested that prominent figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, should apologize for endorsing Platner. Fetterman told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that he personally had “refused” to overlook the claims early on.
Fetterman elaborated on the most recent allegations, stating, “What he did, is he effectively broke in her home – he went in her home without her consent, then he came upstairs and assaulted her. She also described that created a dangerous situation for a possible pregnancy because of those circumstances, what he’s done.” He added that Platner was “already a dead man walking politically” and suggested that the “Pod Save America” hosts who promoted Platner and dismissed the New York Times article’s claims should perhaps apologize to the women whose experiences they seemingly disregarded.
“I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and gone all in on Swalwell and were on the Platner train as well too. So, maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirtbags – someone like Platner,” Fetterman remarked.
A review of public endorsement records indicates that Senator Gallego was the only sitting member of Congress to have explicitly endorsed both Swalwell and Platner. While various state and local affiliates within the SEIU and AFL-CIO labor union networks were involved in each candidate’s campaign, these were not the same endorsing bodies.
Mike Fragoso, former chief counsel to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, commented on the shifting sentiment, noting that the allegations against Platner, while “awful,” were not surprising to those who had read the earlier New York Times report. He suggested the victim had strongly implied the details in that story.
The most recent allegation came from Jenny Racicot, a Maine Democrat who stated she had a sporadic dating relationship with Platner between 2019 and 2021. Racicot had previously spoken to the Times for its June report. In a separate report by Politico on Monday, Racicot alleged that in late 2021, Platner entered her home uninvited after she had told him not to visit. She claimed he was intoxicated, disregarded her repeated objections, and forced her to have sex. Politico reported that it had reviewed text messages, emails with Racicot’s therapist, and spoke with individuals she had confided in following the alleged assault. Platner has again denied this allegation as false.
Following the Politico report, Gallego joined several other prominent Democrats in withdrawing his support for Platner or calling for his withdrawal from the race. This comes as Democratic operatives face a tight deadline under Maine’s election law to replace Platner should he step aside.
Republican Arizona State Senator Warren Peterson criticized Gallego’s judgment, stating, “Another Gallego endorsement going down in flames.”
Jonathan Turley, a Fox News Media contributor and George Washington University law professor, observed a “bizarre pattern” in Gallego’s actions, suggesting he claimed ignorance regarding Eric Swalwell’s alleged mistreatment of women and is now repeating a similar stance with Graham Platner.
Fragoso also commented on the evolving political landscape, remarking that for various political figures and groups, “the only real difference now is polling.”
Meanwhile, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky made a pointed remark on X, suggesting Gallego was abandoning Platner in a manner reminiscent of a spouse leaving a pregnant partner. This comment alluded to Gallego’s own 2016 divorce from Kate Gallego, who was pregnant at the time of the filing. Court records reportedly indicated that Ruben Gallego filed for divorce on December 15, 2016, noting in his motion to seal the case that his then-wife had not yet been served but was “likely to give birth any day.”
In addition to scrutiny over his divorce, Gallego has faced criticism regarding his use of campaign funds for personal expenses, including family travel and childcare. A recent Politico report detailed instances where Gallego allegedly used campaign money for trips to destinations like Miami, Saint Barthélemy, Disneyland, and Chicago. He also reportedly used campaign funds to attend the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona, though he maintained that the tickets constituted a legitimate campaign fundraising expense.
