Democratic nominee Graham Platner officially withdrew his candidacy for the US Senate in Maine on Friday afternoon, ending a campaign marked by multiple scandals.
The state's secretary of state confirmed that Platner submitted the necessary paperwork to remove his name from the November ballot.
The withdrawal occurred two days after Platner publicly announced his intention to exit the race.
In a letter shared on social media, Platner outlined his populist ideals, expressed gratitude to his supporters, and emphasized that the movement built under his name must continue.
"People are desperate for change. For this broken system to be righted.
For the American experiment to be furthered," wrote Platner, noting the more than 156,000 votes he received in the June 9 primary.
"My name may have been on the ballot, but that ballot line belongs to the people of Maine."
Platner's letter did not mention the sexual assault allegations raised against him earlier in the week, which prompted his decision to suspend the campaign.
In an 11-minute video posted on Wednesday, he denied the claims and accused the Democratic establishment of exploiting the situation to disrupt his campaign operations.
"This is all false," said Platner. "The things that have been claimed did not happen.
It's not real."
The recent accusations added to prior controversies involving the marine veteran and oyster farmer.
Platner previously faced scrutiny over old social media posts containing racist, sexist, and homophobic language, which he blamed on his struggles with PTSD, as well as a removed chest tattoo resembling a Nazi emblem.
Following the withdrawal, local party officials supported the decision to end the campaign.
The state party is now rushing to host a nominating convention before the July 27 ballot finalization deadline to choose a replacement candidate to challenge five-term Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins.
"Graham Platner dropping out today was the right thing to do," said Devon Murphy-Anderson, Executive Director of the Maine Democratic Party.
"The allegations that were brought against him were very real and they were very credible."
Potential contenders vying for the Democratic nomination include former Maine State Senator Troy Jackson, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, and Nirav Shah, the former director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
