The Maine Democratic Party accused Senate candidate Graham Platner on Tuesday of attempting to “put his thumb on the scale” to influence whom the party chooses to replace him on the ticket, as a growing wave of Democrats in the state position themselves to run for the seat.

The charge by party officials comes a day after a former romantic partner accused Platner of sexual assault and as many of his key supporters urge him to suspend his campaign.

Additional allegations of nonconsensual sexual conduct emerged on Tuesday, in a new Washington Post interview with another former romantic partner of Platner who had previously accused him of domestic abuse. Platner’s campaign has denied all of the allegations.

In a striking video statement released on Tuesday evening, the Maine Democratic Party’s executive director, Devon Murphy-Anderson, said that Platner’s team had “repeatedly reached out to us in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like.” 

“We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner’s team that they have no role in determining our next Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate, nor in determining what this process looks like,” Murphy-Anderson continued. “We have also reiterated that Graham Platner must drop out of this race, so that Democrats in Maine can focus on defeating Susan Collins this November.”

Murphy-Anderson said the party is developing a new nomination process “that is open, inclusive, transparent and fair,” and that it will lay out that process once Platner drops out.

Multiple outlets have reported that Platner and his advisors are slow-walking an exit from the race, either attempting to ride out the latest scandal or force the party to nominate an approved ally in his place.

The New York Post reported that Morris Katz, a top advisor to Platner, urged him to remain in the race, but Katz said that the Post was not in a position to know about his or the campaign’s deliberations, without directly denying the report.

A Platner campaign spokesperson denied any efforts to influence the replacement process and said Platner wouldn’t want to be part of it but also said “he would want to make sure the voters and volunteers make this decision — not the political establishment.”

Several Democrats who previously ran in the U.S. Senate or gubernatorial primaries have publicly positioned themselves to run for the seat upon Platner’s withdrawal, including former Maine Centers for Disease Control director Nirav Shah, former state Senate President Troy Jackson, former House candidate Jordan Wood, former Senate candidate David Costello, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former House candidate Paige Loud. 

State Rep. Valli Geiger, a close Platner ally, has also expressed interest and said she would bring on Platner’s staff to her campaign. She said that Planter was “trying to leverage things” to make sure “there is an economic populist who takes his place.”

Retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) is reportedly fielding calls about the race, but his spokesperson again ruled out a run.

Gov. Janet Mills, who finished in a distant second to Platner in the Senate primary after suspending her campaign, hasn’t addressed the latest allegations or publicly expressed any interest in rejoining the race.

Some erstwhile Platner allies argue that the nomination should pass to an ideologically aligned candidate, with many pointing to Jackson, who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America in his gubernatorial bid, as their preferred successor.

Others, such as Shah, argue that the party should undergo a new nominating process. Shah called for at least one televised debate and multiple town halls across the state for the new candidate.

On Monday, amid speculation that he could be a potential replacement for Platner, Shah said on X that he would not support U.S. aid to Israel and that he believes the country is committing genocide.

Bellows ran against Collins in 2014 and lost by more than 35 percentage points.

The New York Times reported that the Maine Democratic Party plans to hold a “pop-up convention” or statewide caucus on July 25 to select the new nominee, rather than leaving the choice to party leadership alone.

Also on Tuesday, Platner’s campaign lost the remaining major supporters he had maintained.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), perhaps Platner’s most crucial Senate endorser, was the last of his prominent supporters to call on him to withdraw from the race, a day after the Maine Democratic Party and Senate Democratic leadership pulled their support, alongside many other Platner supporters.

“I have spoken with Graham Platner about the best path forward for Maine,” Sanders said in a statement. “In light of these very serious allegations, I have recommended that he step aside.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), another holdout, also called for Platner to exit the race. “These allegations are serious and cannot be ignored. Graham Platner should step aside,” Van Hollen said. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whose political rise was shaped by many of the same consultants as Platner’s campaign, likewise urged Platner to leave the race.

Despite not having made any public announcement, Platner’s campaign reportedly canceled all of its upcoming fundraisers and pulled its ads on Facebook and Instagram, signs that the campaign is preparing to wind down.