Platner collapse tests Sanders movement over allegations of misconduct

Graham Platner’s Senate bid collapsed after a former girlfriend accused him of rape, and Bernie Sanders called on the Maine oyster farmer and military veteran to withdraw after the allegation became public. Platner had won the Maine Democratic primary for U.S. Senate on June 9, 2026, and had been backed by Sanders and Rep. Ro Khanna before the campaign unraveled under the allegation and a string of scandals.

Platner denied the accusation and later withdrew from the race in writing on July 10. He also said he was suspending campaign operations because the movement could not continue with him at the center. Because the withdrawal came before the July 13 deadline, his name will not appear on the ballot.

The Maine Democratic Party now has until July 27 at 5 p.m. ET to name a replacement nominee. Party leaders have opted for a nominating convention rather than a voter primary, with roughly 600 delegates expected to take part. Candidates hoping to replace Platner had until July 15 to declare their intent and had to collect signatures from at least half of Maine’s 16 counties.

The collapse has revived old arguments over the Sanders movement’s tolerance for male misconduct, especially the long-running label “Bernie Bros.” Robinson Meyer coined the term in 2015 to describe some young male Sanders supporters, and critics later used it to describe sexist online behavior and harassment. In 2016, female journalists faced abuse from Sanders supporters, and Sanders apologized in 2019 to women who said they were harassed or mistreated on his 2016 campaign. A 2019 analysis found that women under 45 made up a larger share of Sanders’ base than men in that age group.