Author Stephen King has publicly urged Democratic US Senate candidate Graham Platner to remain in Maine's race, even as a serious sexual assault allegation and mounting calls for him to withdraw threaten his campaign. The intervention matters because King is a prominent, outspoken liberal voice from Maine, and his stance places him at odds with several of Platner's former backers who have distanced themselves following the accusation. The episode highlights a wider debate among Democrats over how to respond to the claims ahead of a key deadline in a contest seen as crucial.

The allegation came from Jenny Racicot, one of Platner's former partners, who told Politico that he drunkenly entered her home in 2021 and raped her; Platner denies the claims, calling "any accusation of non-consensual behavior categorically false." In posts on X, King wrote that he hoped Platner would not "throw in the towel" while comparing the situation to misconduct allegations against President Trump, whom he called the "Abuser in Chief," and cited the biblical line "Let him without sin cast the first stone." His remarks drew sharp criticism from conservatives including Marc Thiessen and Karol Markowicz, while Congressman Ro Khanna withdrew his endorsement and called for Platner to drop out by 13 July so a replacement could be found.