00:00A tightening race for Maine's Senate seat complicated by a rape allegation against the
00:04Democratic candidate and causing major political upheaval at the race's 11th hour. Can Maine
00:09Senate nominee Graham Plattner still drop out of the state's Senate race? And if he can,
00:14what happens next? Here's what you need to know. Just when Maine Senate hopeful Graham Plattner
00:19thought the dust had settled on his controversial past, an ex-girlfriend of the scandal-scarred
00:23Democrat made bombshell accusations. That Plattner broke into her home and allegedly
00:28raped her almost five years ago. Maine resident Jenny Rackicott spilled the allegations to Politico,
00:34backing up her claim with correspondence with her therapist and a former date, whom she told about
00:39the alleged incident. She recalled how Plattner entered her unlocked home after she told him she
00:44didn't want to see him, and she said Plattner was, quote, very drunk and wouldn't take no for an
00:49answer. The story has thrust the nominee's campaign into uncertainty. Senate Minority Leader Chuck
00:54Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Kirsten Gillibrand called on Plattner to,
01:00quote, immediately withdraw from the Senate race. The powerful New York senators also warned that if the
01:05scandal-ridden candidate stayed on the ballot, the DSCC would shut off all funding to his campaign.
01:11Plattner released a video after the Politico report dropped where he vehemently denied the rape
01:15allegation, but that he would take time to, quote, reflect on the best path forward.
01:20Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, when mindful the political reality it will inflict, we are
01:26taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I
01:32love, the
01:33movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins. But what would happen if Plattner decides to
01:38call it quits? Can Maine Democrats still replace him? The answer is yes, but the window for a switcheroo is
01:45closing
01:45fast. Under Maine election rules, the Dems can make a swap similar to the change from Joe Biden to
01:51Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, with the candidate not having to win any primary. If
01:57Plattner withdraws by July 13th at 5 p.m., party officials can pick a new candidate, which would give
02:03them a new deadline of July 27th to choose a replacement candidate. This would give the new candidate 99 days
02:10to campaign eight days shorter than Harris's sudden 2024 presidential run. Maine's statute doesn't
02:16address how a replacement candidate may be chosen, but says that the candidate filling the vacancy
02:21must be a, quote, qualified person. Labor union official and Democrat Brian Bryant was mentioned
02:26in a survey sent to residents asking about a replacement candidate for Plattner before the
02:31Politico report was released. Another name floating around for replacement is Troy Jackson,
02:36a progressive Democrat who ran for Maine governor but lost. Governor Janet Mills is another option,
02:43but Plattner soundly defeated her in the primary. An aide to Plattner told the New York Times that if
02:48he were to drop out, the beleaguered Dem would want assurances that he'd be replaced by a candidate
02:53who shares his, quote, values and vision. Plattner previously has lost confidence from Democrats
02:59after ex-girlfriends reported alleged women hating behavior from him, leaked sexting scandals, old
03:05defensive Reddit post and a now covered up tattoo that resembles a Nazi symbol.
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