On Tuesday, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called for Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner to withdraw from the Senate race following assault allegations, while urging his party to avoid replacing him through a closed-door process that excludes voters.
Murphy Demands Platner Exit
In a post on X, Murphy said Democrats must win back the Senate to challenge President Donald Trump’s "daily, nuclear-grade corruption."
He argued that the allegations against Platner were serious enough to require a change in the Democratic nominee.
"The assault allegations against Graham Platner are disqualifying and he should be replaced as the nominee," Murphy wrote.
Murphy also rejected the idea of Democratic leaders choosing a replacement candidate through a private agreement.
"But this can’t happen as a party insider backroom deal," he said.
He added, "Voters are sick of the status quo and they need to have a say here — or our party will squander whatever credibility we have left."
Democrats have to win back the Senate if we’re going to stop Donald Trump’s daily, nuclear-grade corruption. The assault allegations against Graham Platner are disqualifying and he should be replaced as the nominee.
— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) July 7, 2026
But this can’t happen as a party insider backroom deal. Voters…
Ocasio-Cortez Addresses Platner Allegations
Last month, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said allegations against Platner had been "hard to stomach" but stressed that voters would decide the outcome of his race against Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
Platner faced criticism over past social media posts, a controversial tattoo, and accusations involving inappropriate messages.
He denied some allegations while acknowledging past actions he said he had taken responsibility for.
His campaign rejected claims of physical intimidation, calling some accusations politically motivated.
Democrats, Trump’s 2028 Impact Debated
Earlier, Rep. Ro Khanna said Democrats could regain support from Trump-backed Teamsters by focusing on "economic patriotism," including stronger jobs, lower costs, domestic manufacturing and national unity.
Anthony Scaramucci argued Trump would not support Republican successors and suggested he may prefer a Democrat winning the 2028 presidential race.
Scaramucci predicted Trump could target potential GOP contenders such as JD Vance and Marco Rubio, while The White House rejected Scaramucci’s remarks, questioning his credibility and pointing to his brief 11-day administration tenure.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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