In Maine, Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner has suspended his campaign following a report he raped a former girlfriend in 2021. In recent days, most of Platner’s most high-profile supporters withdrew their endorsements, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and Congressmember Ro Khanna. Democrats had been hoping the populist Marine veteran and oysterman would unseat Republican Senator Susan Collins in November. In a video message posted Wednesday night, Platner denied the rape allegation and said it was part of an effort to crush his campaign.

Graham Platner: “We live in a political system that is not built for normal people. It is a system that is built structurally to make sure that movements like ours cannot flourish, that if they begin to succeed, they can be crushed.”

The Maine Democratic Party says it’s planning a nominating convention to choose a new Senate nominee. The party has until July 27 to name a candidate. Possible contenders include Maine Governor Janet Mills; Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows; Dr. Nirav Shah, a public health official who led Maine’s response to COVID; and progressive Troy Jackson, a lifetime logger and former president of Maine’s state Senate.