New York Times opinion columnist Michelle Goldberg says she "deeply" regrets an earlier column praising Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner, writing that a rape allegation against him led her to conclude he appears "significantly worse" than the online criticism she had previously dismissed.Goldberg, who profiled Platner favorably during his rise in Maine Democratic politics, revisited her assessment in a new column after Platner's former girlfriend accused him of rape, an allegation he has denied."While I’m assigning blame, I shouldn’t leave out myself," Goldberg wrote in the Monday column.PLATNER'S LATEST ACCUSER CLAIMS THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATE 'ABSOLUTELY' RAPED HERDemocratic U.S.Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks at his primary election event in Blue Hill, Maine, on June 9, 2026.
(CJ Gunther/Getty Images)"Last October, when stories about Platner’s tattoo and Reddit posts first broke, I went to Maine to write about him.I tried to convey what I saw: a campaign that was electrifying angry Maine voters.
But I deeply regret that, impressed by Platner’s political charisma, I wrote that he was 'nothing like the edgelord caricature I encountered online.' If anything, he seems to be significantly worse."On Monday, during an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Jenny Racicot, who had previously made allegations against Platner, was asked if she thought Platner had raped her, and she responded, "By definition? Yes, absolutely."Racicot's allegations were first detailed by Politico in a Monday report.She told that outlet over the course of three interviews that Platner forced her to have sex with him against her will in 2021, which Platner has denied.
Racicot told Politico that Platner was "almost blackout drunk" when the incident took place."I remember him grabbing my pelvis and being really forceful of me," Racicot told Politico."I remember the specific moment where I thought to myself, like, ‘This is no longer my choice.’"TOP PLATNER ALLY T...