Platner quits Senate bid after allegations, lashes out at Democratic establishment

Democrats are suddenly back to square one in one of the country's most important Senate races

Graham Plattner suspended his campaign last night while continuing to deny allegations

that he sexually assaulted a woman he was dating five years ago. In an emotional 11-minute video

Plattner said pressure from Democrats across the country left him with no path forward

He accused the, quote, political establishment of forcing him from the race and said party leaders in Washington should not decide who replaces him

This is incredibly difficult because I know that some will think it's an admission of guilt, and it most certainly is not

We're not doing it because of the allegations. We're doing it because of the structures that are being taken away from us by those in power

And I'm not asking for how this process is going to work

I'm not trying to dictate to anyone who it should be or how we get there, but I will say this

It needs to be open, transparent and democratic. It needs to be reflecting the will and the values of the people that built this movement, the people that showed up on June 9th

People in D.C. need to stay in D.C. Decisions should not be made in back rooms by people in places of political power

Maine is one of the Democrats' best opportunities to flip a Republican Senate seat, making the search for a new nominee especially urgent as they try to unseat longtime Senator Susan Collins

Plattner has not yet filed the paperwork to formally withdraw, but he has until Monday at 5 p.m. to do so

Democrats would then have until July 27th to choose a replacement. Several names have been floated, but so far only former State Senate President Troy Jackson has filed paperwork to enter the race