Two prominent Democratic operatives, Neera Tanden and Shannon Watts, have publicly called on Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat in Maine, to withdraw from the race following a rape allegation reported on Monday. The allegation is significant because it comes shortly before the general election and threatens the party's already difficult path to a Senate majority, while prompting a wider revolt among senior Democrats, including Senator Bernie Sanders, who have urged Platner to step aside.

Platner had already faced controversy over a Nazi tattoo, past online comments about race, and infidelity, but pressure intensified after Politico reported that he had allegedly raped his then-girlfriend, Jenny Racicot, while heavily intoxicated and after being repeatedly told to stop. Racicot said she considered herself raped "by dictionary definition" and criticised remarks Platner had made about women and sexual assault. Tanden, chief executive of the Center for American Progress, said she remained angry at those who had failed to properly vet the candidate, and both operatives cautioned the party over its next steps ahead of the vote.