Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has lost the backing of several high-profile progressive allies after Politico reported on Monday that he allegedly raped an ex-girlfriend. The allegation matters because Platner had been positioning himself as the standard-bearer of a growing progressive coalition in a race against Republican Senator Susan Collins that Democrats regarded as pivotal to reclaiming the Senate majority.

Prominent Democratic Senate candidates campaigning as progressives — including James Talarico in Texas, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, former Representative Mary Peltola in Alaska, former Senator Sherrod Brown in Ohio and Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan — all publicly called on Platner to withdraw, describing the accusations as credible. It was the first time these five figures had openly rebuked him, despite earlier controversies, including a June New York Times report describing "unsettling" behaviour towards women. Platner, who has denied the rape allegation in a video statement, had not withdrawn from the race at the time of reporting.