The backlash surrounding controversial Maine Democrat Graham Platner, who withdrew his bid for US Senate on Friday after accusations of rape, may canine one California Democrat all through 2028.
Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna, who’s extensively anticipated to run for president, is going through accusations of hypocrisy for hyping the disgraced New England pol even after disturbing experiences emerged about his remedy of girls.
Khanna even went as far as to share a stage with him after a New York Occasions report described Platner’s “unsettling” conduct towards former girlfriends.
“We reject misogyny. We reject it. You recognize who else rejects it? Graham Platner,” Khanna stated on stage on the get-out-the vote rally in Bar Harbor final month.
Khanna’s congressional committee, Ro for Congress, funded the rally that featured an almost 30-minute speech by Platner, who was later accused by ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot of drunkenly getting into her unlocked dwelling to rape her in 2021.
A New York Occasions story printed June 4 depicted Platner’s alleged intimidating and threatening conduct towards girls, typically coupled with consuming, as described by three ex-girlfriends.
Ex-girlfriend Lyndsey Fifield stated she was “shaken” by a few of Platner’s conduct, which included bodily grabbing her, holding an AR-15 assault rifle mendacity round his house and fantasies about killing folks.
Khanna had notably doubled down on his help of Platner earlier than abruptly pulling his endorsement and calling for him to drop out after Racicot’s rape allegation got here to mild this week.
The Silicon Valley congressman appeared in a video the place he sat down with Platner in Maine to have an “sincere dialog concerning the human toll and his journey.”
“I bought the Platner name improper clearly,” Khanna admitted to Politico following the rape accusation. “Nevertheless it doesn’t negate from the progressive motion.”
California Republicans blasted Khanna for what they known as his poor judgment.
“Socialists excuse unhealthy conduct towards girls when it matches their excessive agenda,” Corrin Rankin, chairwoman of the California Republican Occasion, instructed The California Publish.
“They speak about justice however refuse to carry their very own accountable whereas pushing legal guidelines that damage the remainder of us, give the federal government an excessive amount of energy, and take away possibilities for alternative.”
A spokesperson for Khanna defended the rally he hosted in Maine, noting the congressman has been internet hosting related gatherings throughout the nation to spice up Democratic candidates.
“This was an occasion that had a number of candidates together with Troy Jackson and Matt Dunlap along with Platner and had nurses and labor union leaders communicate,” the spokesperson instructed The Publish. “Ro and his marketing campaign haven’t given a single greenback to the Platner marketing campaign.”
Racicot’s accusation that the Maine veteran entered her dwelling with out permission and raped her in 2021 is simply the newest in a critical of disturbing experiences concerning the wannabe senator.
One in every of his ex-campaign aides additionally revealed Platner had been sending sexts to as many as six girls who weren’t his spouse across the time he introduced his Senate bid in August 2025. Offensive posts on Reddit boards have been additionally unearthed, together with Platner scoffing at victims of sexual assault.
Platner has additionally confronted repeated questions over a tattoo of a Nazi image.
He has denied the rape accusation and chalked up a lot of his previous conduct to heavy consuming and post-traumatic stress.
In a video launched Wednesday, Platner blamed “giant forces,” “company media” and the “political institution” for tanking his candidacy.
