Two Democratic-aligned political groups suddenly shifted millions of dollars in planned Maine Senate ad reservations just days before a rape allegation against former Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner became public. This move has handed Republicans a new line of attack, questioning whether party leaders had already lost confidence in his campaign.
WinSenate removed more than $6.2 million in Maine Senate ad reservations, including $5.9 million in broadcast reservations and $330,000 in cable reservations. A separate $240,000 in digital spending was also shifted from Majority Forward, according to ad-tracking data.
The ad shift occurred roughly one week before one of Platner’s ex-girlfriends accused him of rape, an allegation that Platner denies. This development ended a campaign already weakened by months of controversy, including scrutiny over comments from a deleted Reddit account and a Nazi-linked tattoo.
Platner had faced pressure since October over the controversy, which intensified after multiple ex-girlfriends described him as emotionally abusive, claims he also denied. The rape allegation brought new scrutiny to his campaign.
A GOP operative criticized Democrats, saying they only discovered moral clarity when their midterm strategy was on life support. The funding for the ads was rerouted to a different Democratic committee to reserve advertising space in Maine.
Majority Forward denied the spending shift was connected to Platner’s campaign turmoil, saying it was a common practice with issue advocacy campaigns. WinSenate and Majority Forward are closely tied to the Democratic Senate campaign apparatus.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had avoided commenting on Platner's controversies before the rape allegation, stating his commitment to flipping Maine's Senate seat. After the story broke, Schumer demanded that Platner "immediately withdraw" from the race.
Upon dropping out of the race, Platner claimed that the Democratic establishment sabotaged his campaign. He argued that the allegations were being used to put structural pressure on his campaign.
Platner underwent an unusually short vetting process, which some argue allowed him to advance despite significant baggage. Democrats in Maine plan to hold a nominating convention to determine who will replace Platner.
