Author Stephen King defends Graham Platner amid sexual assault allegations

DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER SAYS HE IS “TAKING THE TIME TO REFLECT ON THE BEST PATH FORWARD” IN THE MAINE SENATE RACE — AFTER A MAINE WOMAN ACCUSED HIM OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING HER. PLATNER…. WHO IS DENYING THE ALLEGATION… STOPPED SHORT OF SAYING HE WOULD END HIS CAMPAIGN, BUT SIGNALED HE IS WEIGHING ITS FUTURE, AS HE SEEKS TO UNSEAT REPUBLICAN SUSAN COLLINS. THE WOMAN BRINGING THESE NEW CLAIMS FORWARD IS JENNY RACICOT, RACICOT, WHO TOLD CNN AND POLITICO THAT PLATNER DRUNKENLY RAPED HER IN 2021….RECALLING A NIGHT WHERE HE CAME OVER TO HER HOUSE UNINVITED… IN A VIDEO POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA… PLATNER CALLED THE ACCOUNT “FALSE” AND CLAIMED THE ALLEGATIONS ARE COACHED AND COORDINATED BY OUT-OF-STATE ESTABLISHMENT OPERATIVES… PLATNER SECURED THE SENATE NOMINATION BY RECEIVING MORE VOTES THAN ANY DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY CANDIDATE IN MAINE HISTORY– AND MANY OF THOSE áVOTERSá HAVE STOOD BY HIM DESPITE PREVIOUS SCANDALS. NOW… PLATNERS’ OPPONENTS AND SUPPORTERS SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE ALLEGATIONS — WITH SOME WITHDRAWING SUPPORT — AND CALLING FOR ACTION. JAMIE AZULAY IS REPORTING IN STUDIO THIS MORNING — JAMIE… WHO ARE WE HEARING FROM AND WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? SUPPORT FOR PLATNER IS FADING FAST — FROM FEDERAL LAWMAKERS TO GROUPS RIGHT HERE AT HOME — WE’RE SEEING GROWING CALLS FOR PLATNER TO DROP OUT OF THE RACE FOR SENATE. HIS OPPONENT — SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS — CALLING THE ALLEGATIONS APPALLING. BUT IT’S NOT JUST REPUBLICANS WHO WANT HIM OUT — DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR HANNAH PINGREE WRTING “GRAHAM PLATNER SHOULD EXIT THE RACE IMMEDIATELY.” SHE SAYS NO PARTY SHOULD STAND BEHIND A CANDIDATE FACING ALLEGATIONS OF ASSAULT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PLANNED PARENTHOOD ALSO PULLING THEIR SUPPORT — AND FINANCIAL ENDORSEMENTS. A SPOKESPERSON SAYING THE ACTION FUND UNEQUIVOCALLY BELIEVES WOMEN. MASSACHUSETTS SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN WHO PREVIOUSLY CALLED PLATNER “MY KIND OF GUY” NOW SAYING DEMOCRATS NEED PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON WHO REPRESENT THEIR VALUES… PLATNER IS HOLDING ON TO áSOME SUPPORT — AUTHOR STEPHEN KING WRITING ON X THAT HE HOPES PLATNER DOES NOT DROP OUT OF THE RACE… ADDING THAT HE THINKS MANY POLITICIANS HAVE CONCERNING BEHAVIOR. INTERESTINGLY… NO WORD YET FROM VERMONT’S INDEPENDENT SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS WHO HAS BEEN A STAUNCH SUPPORTER OF PLATNER. PLATNER POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO SAY THE ALLEGATIONS ARE FALSE BUT ALSO THAT HE IS TAKING TIME TO REFLECT ON WHAT THIS ALL MEANS FOR HIS CAMPAIGN GOING FORWARD. IF HE DOES DROP OUT… HE MUST DO SO BY JULY 13 — NEXT MONDAY. THEN… THE STATE’S DEMOCRATIC PARTY WOULD HAVE TO PICK A NEW CANDIDATE TO REPLACE HIM BY JULY 2

Author Stephen King defends Graham Platner amid sexual assault allegations

Updated: 9:06 AM MDT Jul 7, 2026

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Author Stephen King appears to be standing behind Graham Platner, even as the Maine Democratic Senate candidate faces allegations of sexual assault and growing calls to end his campaign. Posting on social media shortly after POLITICO published testimony from a Maine woman who accused Platner of assaulting her in 2021, the prolific horror writer wrote “Graham Platner may drop out. I hope he doesn’t, but.” King then went on to reference President Donald Trump, and the numerous sexual misconduct allegations he has faced over the years, calling him the “Abuser in Chief.” Trump has consistently denied several public allegations of sexual assault, including non-consensual touching and kissing. In 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll. In a second post, King wrote: “Tell you what–if you knew the whole truth about everyone in the Senate and House of Reps, those chambers would be dead empty. Jesus said, ‘Let him without sin cast the first stone,'” which provoked hundreds of comments criticizing King and accusing him of misunderstanding scripture and defending sexual assault. King’s seeming endorsement of Platner comes as the candidate denies the allegations and is facing a flood of calls from Democratic leadership in Maine and D.C. to end his campaign. The Maine Democratic Party called for Platner to withdraw, as well as high-profile supporters such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna, of California. Notably, Vermont’s independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who campaigned alongside Platner in Portland in May, has not yet pulled his endorsement of Platner. In June, when Platner was under scrutiny for reports that he sent sexual text messages to women who were not his wife, Sanders defended his endorsement by saying, “Is he a saint? I guess not. I don’t know too many saints here,” while pointing to the U.S. Capitol building in D.C.

BANGOR, Maine —

Author Stephen King appears to be standing behind Graham Platner, even as the Maine Democratic Senate candidate faces allegations of sexual assault and growing calls to end his campaign.

Posting on social media shortly after POLITICO published testimony from a Maine woman who accused Platner of assaulting her in 2021, the prolific horror writer wrote “Graham Platner may drop out. I hope he doesn’t, but.”

King then went on to reference President Donald Trump, and the numerous sexual misconduct allegations he has faced over the years, calling him the “Abuser in Chief.”

Trump has consistently denied several public allegations of sexual assault, including non-consensual touching and kissing. In 2023, a federal jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation of writer E. Jean Carroll.

In a second post, King wrote: “Tell you what–if you knew the whole truth about everyone in the Senate and House of Reps, those chambers would be dead empty. Jesus said, ‘Let him without sin cast the first stone,'” which provoked hundreds of comments criticizing King and accusing him of misunderstanding scripture and defending sexual assault.

King’s seeming endorsement of Platner comes as the candidate denies the allegations and is facing a flood of calls from Democratic leadership in Maine and D.C. to end his campaign.

The Maine Democratic Party called for Platner to withdraw, as well as high-profile supporters such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna, of California. Notably, Vermont’s independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who campaigned alongside Platner in Portland in May, has not yet pulled his endorsement of Platner.

In June, when Platner was under scrutiny for reports that he sent sexual text messages to women who were not his wife, Sanders defended his endorsement by saying, “Is he a saint? I guess not. I don’t know too many saints here,” while pointing to the U.S. Capitol building in D.C.

Source link