Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., criticized Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after he withdrew from the race Wednesday amid a rape allegation. Fetterman called Platner “trash” and said he was a “dead man walking” during an appearance on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
Platner, a military veteran and oyster farmer, announced his exit in an 11-minute video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. He dismissed the rape allegation from a former partner as false and has not been criminally charged. The allegation came from Jenny Racicot, 41, who told CNN she believed Platner “raped” her after he entered her home uninvited and forced her to have unprotected sex despite her protests.
Fetterman criticized fellow Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who endorsed Platner. The senator questioned what qualities led Democrats to support Platner, citing a Nazi-like tattoo, offensive online messages, and allegations of abuse. Fetterman called on Sanders to apologize to Maine voters and campaign donors.
Platner faced multiple scandals during his campaign, including allegations of sexual misconduct, domestic abuse, and a controversial tattoo. His exit narrows Democrat’s chances of flipping Maine’s Senate seat, which is a key part of their effort to retake the Senate majority, now held 53-47 by Republicans.
Fetterman concluded by telling Platner to “go back under that rock that you came from.”
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
