Supporters of Graham Platner react to his withdrawal from Maine's Senate race after new allegations

(10 Jul 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ++THUMBNAIL: Campaign flyers for former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Graham Platner are seen at his headquarters Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Ellsworth, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty; ID 26190657389440)++ ASSOCIATED PRESS Ellsworth, Maine - 9 July 2026 1. Wide of Graham Platner's campaign headquarters ASSOCIATED PRESS Sullivan, Maine - 9 July 2026 ++PARTIALLY COVERED++ 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dora Townsend and David Rice, visiting from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania: DAVID RICE: "A lot of us didn't know very much about Graham Plattner. We knew a little bit more because we know his mother, who runs the Ironbound Restaurant." DORA TOWNSEND: "And we eat at the Ironbound Restaurant. And we were in fact going to go to a fundraising cocktail party for him." DAVID RICE: "We were both feeling, as more and more stuff came out, we were both feeling a little bit doubtful. We appreciate that the excuse of he had some pretty traumatic events in his life and that maybe that accounted for some of these, but then it got to be a little more recent. And a little more - suggesting, maybe a character deficiency that we would not want to have in the Senate." DORA TOWNSEND: "I just read an article today which said that he wasn't necessarily looking to run. He had been persuaded. And then that, given what's happened, it made me sad for him and his family. Because to be as such a limelight and to have so many tragedies unfold publicly for the whole nation, I think that's tough." ASSOCIATED PRESS Ellsworth, Maine - 9 July 2026 3. Mid of signs reading (English) "Graham Platner for U.S. Senate" 4. Platner's campaign headquarters interior ASSOCIATED PRESS Sullivan, Maine - 9 July 2026 4. Wide of Platners home 5. Wide of media outside Platner's home 6. Tight of mailbox reading (English) "Platner 59" STORYLINE: Graham Platner said Wednesday that he plans to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race in Maine after facing an allegation of sexual assault, shuttering an insurgent campaign that had withstood months of controversy only to implode and imperil Democrats’ attempt to regain power in Washington. Dora Townsend and David Rice, a couple visiting Maine from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, said Thursday that they thought Platner should drop from the Senate race after the new allegation surfaced. “We were both feeling, as more and more stuff came out, we were both feeling a little bit doubtful,” said David Rice. Democrats need to pick a candidate to replace Platner on the ballot by July 27, according to state law. Whoever is selected will have less than four months before facing longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. AP video shot by: Robert F. Bukaty =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...