The limits of partisan loyalty: Graham Platner and the politics of character

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner faces calls to withdraw from his race after an ex-girlfriend told Politico he raped her in 2021, an accusation she had previously shared off-record with the New York Times. The allegation prompted prominent Democratic backers including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ruben Gallego and Representative Ro Khanna to urge Platner to end his bid. Platner has faced multiple controversies including praise for Hamas tactics, inappropriate messages with women while married, and a Nazi-related tattoo, yet won his primary with 72% of the vote.