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Actor Patrick Dempsey pours cold water on possible Senate bid in Maine

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Patrick Dempsey will not attempt to go from the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital to the real U.S. Senate. Dempsey, a native of Lewiston, Maine, who is perhaps best known for his role on ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” said Tuesday he will not run for Senate in his home state, as Democrats in Maine and across the nation call on…

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Democrat Graham Platner suspends campaign for key US Senate race in Maine

BBC News

4 hours ago

Democrat Graham Platner suspends campaign for key US Senate race in Maine

The decision came days after a woman accused him of sexual assault, an accusation he says is "categorically false".

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Maine Democrat Graham Platner suspends Senate candidacy amid allegations

NewsNation

4 hours ago

Maine Democrat Graham Platner suspends Senate candidacy amid allegations

Fellow Democrats pulled their support this week after published reports featured a woman who said Platner sexually assaulted her while intoxicated in 2021.

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Exclusive: Republicans juice spending to protect Senate "red wall"

Axios

4 hours ago

Exclusive: Republicans juice spending to protect Senate "red wall"

Republicans are dramatically boosting campaign spending on Senate races in red states that, until recently, looked safely out of Democrats' reach in the November midterms.Why it matters: The GOP — alarmed by recent polls and voting trends — is juicing its efforts in Ohio and Iowa to reinforce a Senate "red wall" they believe can block Democrats' path to a majority in the chamber.The clearest evidence yet: One Nation, the conservative nonprofit aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), is reserving $28 million in TV advertising in Ohio and $11 million in Iowa, according to plans obtained by Axios.Republican candidates are locked in tough races in those states less than two years after President Trump won both by double digits.The TV ads will begin Wednesday and will run through the summer.Behind the scenes: During a June 1 conference call with Thune and top GOP donors, One Nation executive director Alex Latcham touted roughly $100 million in planned spending on Democrat-held Senate seats in New Hampshire, Georgia and Michigan, according to a person familiar with the call.But Latcham also acknowledged the political headwinds facing Republicans in red states, and argued for doubling down on investments in GOP-held seats in Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, Maine and North Carolina.Not long ago, Ohio and Iowa looked like they didn't need much help from the GOP to defend. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control of the Senate.Zoom in: Republicans are especially worried about Ohio Sen. Jon Husted's unexpectedly competitive race against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who's outraised Husted by more than 2 to 1.In Iowa, Rep. Ashley Hinson is confronting voters dissatisfied with Trump's tariffs and a struggling agricultural economy. He faces state Rep. Josh Turek, who's emphasized the impact of Trump's policies on working Iowans.Yes, but: Democrats have problems of their own in Maine, where Graham Platner is facing calls to withdraw amid accusations of sexual misconduct, which he's denied. Democrats need to net four seats to win an outright Senate majority, and Maine — which Trump lost by 7 points in 2024 — is seen as a must-win for the party.If Democrats don't defeat Maine Sen. Susan Collins, their path to the majority gets much harder. Democrats' road would get even more narrow if Republicans hold on to the Senate seats in Ohio and Iowa.One Nation is also reserving $6 million to spend in New Hampshire, where Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is retiring. Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas is expected to face off against former Republican Sen. John Sununu.Thune's political operation is planning more than $400 million in spending — most of it through the Senate Leadership Fund super PAC, which is allied with One Nation.What they're saying: "One Nation is proud to highlight the many conservative policies that have provided meaningful results for working families," Latcham said in a statement. The other side: "This five-alarm fire by Republicans shows they know just how fragile their Senate majority is. Democrats have expanded the map with strong candidates and formidable campaigns," Tommy Garcia, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, told Axios.

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Graham Platner Drops Out of Maine Senate Race After Sexual Assault Allegations

TIME

4 hours ago

Graham Platner Drops Out of Maine Senate Race After Sexual Assault Allegations

Platner's exit leaves Democrats scrambling to field a new candidate to take on Senator Susan Collins.

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How Democrats Can Still Salvage the Maine Senate Race

RealClearPolitics - Homepage

5 hours ago

How Democrats Can Still Salvage the Maine Senate Race

Democrats' brief experiment in letting their hair down and nominating a Senate candidate who makes them feel edgy has all but concluded.

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Platner says he will suspend his Senate campaign in Maine

NBC News Politics

5 hours ago

Platner says he will suspend his Senate campaign in Maine

In a video posted on X, Graham Platner announced he is ending his Senate campaign after a woman accused him of sexual assault in 2021. Platner denied the allegation as “false” but said that he was suspending campaign operations. NBC News’ Ryan Nobles reports.

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Graham Platner DROPS OUT of pivotal Senate race after holding Democrats hostage

Blaze Media

5 hours ago

Graham Platner DROPS OUT of pivotal Senate race after holding Democrats hostage

The beleaguered campaign of Graham Platner has come to an end after a woman he dated formerly accused him of sexual assault.Platner was seeking to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and help Democrats take back control of the U.S. Senate in the midterms before the bombshell report hit Monday. 'We are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward.' Platner said he was suspending the campaign in a post Wednesday evening. "My name might be on the ballot right now, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine," he said. "What comes next needs to come from the people of Maine," he said in the video. "We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be me. For that reason, we are suspending campaign operations," he added.Platner denied the accusations from a woman who dated him nearly five years ago and documented her allegations in an extensive Politico report on Monday. "Any accusation of nonconsensual behavior is categorically false," Platner said in a statement about the accusations Monday. Platner had also released a video calling the allegations "troubling, serious, and false" but admitted he was considering dropping out. "Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting," he said, "and mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward." On Wednesday, after numerous Democrats revoked their endorsements and called for him to step down, he made the fateful announcement.Platner's campaign was plagued from the beginning by numerous scandals, including a Nazi-linked tattoo on his chest and accusations that he had sought romantic partners while married to his wife.RELATED: 'Should be nowhere near Congress': Even 'The View' thinks Graham Platner is a TERRIBLE candidate The latest polling showed Platner slightly ahead of Collins by a slim margin of 2 percentage points, which was well within the margin of error.He blamed some of his past behavior on mental health issues stemming from his time serving in the military during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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Graham Platner ends Maine Senate campaign

Politics

5 hours ago

Graham Platner ends Maine Senate campaign

He had lost significant support and financial backing among Democrats in the wake of a POLITICO report that a woman said he forced her to have sex. He denied the claim.

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Actor Patrick Dempsey pours cold water on possible Senate bid in Maine

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Actor Patrick Dempsey pours cold water on possible Senate bid in Maine

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