Graham Platner ends Senate bid. And, why Nolan Wells' death captured national attention
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By Brittney Melton

Thursday, July 9, 2026 • 7:22 AM EDT

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Democrat Graham Platner announced last night that he has ended his U.S. Senate campaign in Maine. The politician faced pressure from party leaders to end his bid after one of his former girlfriends accused him of rape. He denies this allegation. In a video, Platner said his decision to drop out was not an admission of guilt and instead blamed a "political system not built for normal people." Now the race is on for Democrats to find a new candidate to replace Platner before the state's July 27 deadline to name someone new.

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