Democrat Graham Platner's candidacy for the Maine Senate is going through its most critical moment. Just a few hours after an ex-partner publicly accused him of sexual assault, prominent leaders of the Democratic Party began to demand that he abandon the race, while the candidate himself admitted that he is analyzing what the future of his campaign will be.

The complaint was published this Monday by POLITICO, which released the testimony of Jenny Racicot, a 41-year-old woman who claims she had an on-and-off relationship with Platner for more than two years.

According to his story, the alleged attack occurred at the end of 2021, when the now Senate candidate would have entered his home in a rural area of ​​Maine without invitation, apparently under the influence of alcohol. Racicot claimed that despite repeatedly asking her to stop, Platner forced her to have sex.

“I remember the exact moment when I thought: 'This is no longer up to me,'” the woman told the American media.

POLITICO reported that it reviewed emails between Racicot and his therapist, messages sent years ago to an acquaintance in which he warned about Platner's behavior, as well as the testimony of a former romantic partner of the complainant, who assured that she told him what happened long before the politician began his electoral campaign.

Platner rejects the accusation. The candidate categorically denied Racicot's version.

"These accusations are worrying, serious and false. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false," he said in a statement released by his campaign team.

Hours later, he released a video on social networks where he reiterated his innocence, although he acknowledged that the complaint has a strong political impact.

“We are taking time to reflect on the best path forward for the state I love, the people I love, the movement to which I belong and the goal of defeating Susan Collins,” he said, without confirming whether he will resign from the candidacy.

However, the revelations provoked an almost immediate reaction among national leaders of the Democratic Party.

The leader of the Democratic caucus in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, and the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), Kirsten Gillibrand, called for Platner to resign from the nomination.

"The allegations known today are deeply disturbing. Violence, abuse and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable," they said in a joint statement.

This position was joined by the leadership of the Maine Democratic Party, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senators Rubén Gallego and Martin Heinrich, as well as Congressman Ro Khanna, one of Platner's main political allies during the primary elections.

Before obtaining the Democratic nomination in June, Platner was already facing questions for old offensive comments published on the Internet, sexual messages sent to various women and the existence of a tattoo with Nazi symbols that he later covered up by claiming that he did not know its meaning. The former Marine also acknowledged having gone through problems related to alcohol abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from his military service.