Democratic strategist says transparency is Platner's 'only path forward'

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks to voters during a town hall at Elks Lodge 188 on June 7, 2026, in Portland, Maine. Laura Brett/Getty Images hide caption

Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner is facing calls to end his campaign after a former girlfriend accused him of sexual assault. The alleged incident, which the woman said happened nearly five years ago, was first reported by Politico. NPR has not independently verified the claims. Platner has denied the allegations.

Speaking with Morning Edition on Tuesday, Democratic strategist Joel Payne said Platner should be "as transparent and as clear as possible" as he weighs whether to remain in the race. Payne said it's unclear whether transparency would be enough to keep Platner in the race, but called it "the only path forward."

He also said one key question remains unanswered: how voters in Maine respond. While national and state Democrats have urged Platner to step aside, Payne said that Maine Democrats overwhelmingly nominated him in last month's primary despite earlier controversies.

Payne also discussed what the controversy could mean for Democrats more broadly, saying that the party is still trying to determine what kinds of candidates can build a winning coalition as it prepares for the 2028 presidential election.

In an interview with NPR's Newsmakers in late May, before the latest allegation surfaced, Platner defended himself against the earlier controversies that have dogged his campaign, saying, "I think a lot of people recognize that the ability to transform, the ability to change, is kind of just a normal human trait."

Listen to the full conversation by clicking the play button above.

The digital version was written by Majd Al-Waheidi.