Graham Platner the embattled Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, on Friday publicly released the letter formally withdrawing from the U.S.Senate race, thanking supporters before signing off with, "F**k ICE.
Free Palestine.Up the Hearts."Platner posted the July 10 letter on X after submitting it to the Maine Department of the Secretary of State's Division of Elections."I write to formally withdraw my candidacy for United States Senate," Platner wrote.THE DOZEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE'S BALANCE OF POWERDemocratic U.S.
Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks at his primary election event in Blue Hill, Maine, on June 9, 2026.(CJ Gunther/Getty Images)The letter thanked the 156,084 Mainers who voted for him in last month's Democratic primary and argued they had backed "a new kind of politics" focused on issues including Medicare for All, stronger unions and limiting the influence of billionaires in politics."My name may have been on the ballot, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine," Platner wrote.
"As such, please consider this notice as my official withdrawal from consideration for this office."Platner concluded the letter by writing, "F**k ICE.Free Palestine.
Up the Hearts."The letter comes two days after Platner announced he was suspending his campaign amid mounting controversies and allegations of sexual misconduct that he has repeatedly denied.A populist Democrat who was backed last September by progressive champion Sen.Bernie Sanders, Platner was challenging longtime Republican Sen.
Susan Collins in a high-profile, combustible and expensive race in Maine, which is one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November's midterm elections."For the movement to continue, it can’t be me.For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," Platner said on Wednesday in a video posted to social media.The end of his campaign came a month after Platner won a landslide victory in Maine's June 9 De...