One day after Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, was accused of rape, his campaign posted a job listing seeking a research director with experience in opposition research and self-research as leading Democrats joined the call for him to withdraw from the race.
According to the job posting, the campaign stated that it was “urgently hiring” for the position, which would include anticipating “opponent lines of attack” and developing “comprehensive defense strategies and rapid-response toolkits.”
The listing appeared as prominent Democrats withdrew their support for Platner or urged him to end his campaign. Platner has denied the allegations.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), one of Platner’s early supporters, stated on Tuesday that he had spoken with him “about the best path forward for Maine.”
“In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside,” Sanders wrote.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) also withdrew her endorsement and called on Platner to “exit the race immediately so that he can be replaced by a progressive fighter who will deliver for the people and help win back the Senate.”
“These allegations are devastating and must be taken seriously,” she added.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the controversy at a Tuesday press conference, saying he believed Platner should leave the race.
“I believe that it’s time for him to drop out of the race,” Mamdani said. He added that his own endorsements have focused on candidates running in New York City and that he was “incredibly excited at the fact that they won their races, and that’s where my focus is for now.”
Moshe Spern, president of the United Jewish Teachers, criticized Mamdani for not previously calling on Platner to withdraw over earlier controversies, including scrutiny surrounding a Nazi symbol tattoo, which he has since covered up.
“His Nazi tattoo was OK? The first allegations of assault on women were OK? Rape is where we draw the line on Democratic Socialists dropping out of a political race?” Spern wrote. “The mayor admits we have rising antisemitism in our city but refuses to call out a man promoting a Nazi tattoo?”
“This is when politicians need to start looking into the mirror,” he added.
