Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has now struck out twice this year on endorsed candidates derailed by sexual assault allegations.
Gallego initially endorsed his former best friend Eric Swalwell, and when initial sexual assault allegations emerged against Swalwell, Gallego defended him. Then, when more women came forward, Gallego retracted his defense of Swalwell along with his endorsement.
On Monday, Gallego opted not to make the same mistake with Graham Platner, Maine’s Democratic candidate for Senate, as he had done with Swalwell.
Funny how Democrats suddenly find their principles… after the scandal goes public.
Qué conveniente. 🤡🤡🤡 https://t.co/uce3BMWp84
— AZGOP Latino (@AZGOPLatino) July 7, 2026
Rather than continue to defend Platner as he had done for other allegations concerning a Nazi tattoo, public masturbation, and allegiance to Antifa, Gallego pulled his endorsement within hours of media reports detailing what the alleged victim has described as rape.
Gallego took back his endorsement shortly after members of the public questioned his continued commitment to Platner in light of the new allegations. Gallego had defended Platner as “authentic.”
Every reporter in AZ needs to ask @RubenGallego about his continued support for Graham Platner:
"Platner can bring out new voters, can get cross-over voters … This guy is an authentic man … I'm proud to endorse him." – GALLEGO
Swalwell all over againhttps://t.co/peIAMbrwCm pic.twitter.com/iDKL0o9j6j
— Brian Anderson (@AZBrianAnderson) July 6, 2026
Maine resident Jenny Racicot told Politico that she and Platner had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for more than two years before the sexual assault allegedly occurred. Racicot claimed that a drunk Platner came into her home uninvited one night in late 2021 and forced himself on her.
As support for her claims, Politico interviewed Racicot’s acquaintances and reviewed her subsequent messages to others about Platner from 2022 and 2023.
In a subsequent interview with CNN, Racicot described the sexual assault as a “rape.” Racicot offered details she hadn’t given Politico, which included a sewing needle stuck in her leg from an overturned sewing cabinet while Platner was allegedly forcing her to have sex with him. Racicot also claimed Platner had no recollection of the alleged rape the next day when she confronted him.
Racicot disclosed that she decided to publicize the alleged incident after Platner and his allies dismissed the experiences of another victim based on her political affiliation, Lyndsey Fifield.
Fifield, a conservative, claimed in a New York Times article released last month that Platner had a drinking problem and was more prone to physical violence when rough, though that aggression never progressed to striking.
The extent of Platner’s violence reportedly consisted of leaving marks on Fifield’s shoulders and arms when he grabbed or yanked her into place when she was noncompliant. In one incident, Fifield claimed Platner twisted her arm behind her back to force her into a room where he falsely imprisoned her overnight.
Though Racicot is a registered Democrat told Politico she aligned with Platner politically, she backed Fifield’s account of Platner and disputed claims that Platner was incapable of physically harming women.
“I know that he is capable of putting his hands on women,” Racicot told Politico. “So I don’t believe that to be the truth.”
Gallego hasn’t gone so far as to call on Platner to step out of the race against Republican incumbent Susan Collins — just as he did with Swalwell — though other top Democrats have made that call.
Rather than continue with their primary pick, some Democrat leaders have announced that they would like to start anew with someone they feel would be better positioned to flip Collins’ seat.
Platner has denied all accusations against him as smear campaigns by political opponents. However, Platner did imply in light of this latest accusation that he was considering the calls for him to drop out of the race. Platner said in a statement that he was taking “time to reflect on the best path forward” for his candidacy.
— Graham Platner for Senate (@grahamformaine) July 6, 2026
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