Sen. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat who has not ruled out a 2028 presidential bid, is facing renewed scrutiny after he withdrew his endorsement from a second Democratic candidate accused of sexual misconduct. The senator rescinded his support for Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner on Monday following a rape allegation, just months after he pulled his backing from Eric Swalwell’s California gubernatorial campaign amid separate sexual assault claims. Both Platner and Swalwell have denied the allegations against them.
In a social media post on X, Gallego called the accusations against Platner «troubling and deeply serious.» However, Lyndsey Fifield, Platner’s former girlfriend who previously accused him of abusive behavior, criticized Gallego for not acting sooner. «Mine weren't sufficiently troubling or serious for you, right?» she wrote in response to Gallego’s post, referencing her own allegations detailed in a June 4 New York Times report. The report described incidents where Platner allegedly grabbed her hard enough to leave marks, pulled her from a cab, and twisted her arm behind her back. Platner denied being violent, calling the claims false.
The latest allegation against Platner came from Jenny Racicot, a Maine Democrat who said she dated him on and off from 2019 to 2021. In a Monday Politico report, Racicot alleged that Platner entered her home uninvited in late 2021, was intoxicated, and forced her to have sex despite her objections. Politico said it reviewed text messages and emails with Racicot’s therapist and spoke with people she confided in after the alleged assault. Platner again denied the allegation as false.
Gallego’s decision to back Platner and Swalwell has drawn criticism from both Republicans and fellow Democrats. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., said people like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., needed to apologize for supporting Platner, telling Fox News’ Laura Ingraham that he «refused» to overlook the claims. «He was already a dead man walking politically,» Fetterman said, adding that «Pod Save America» hosts who promoted Platner should apologize to the women they dismissed. «Maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirtbags, someone like Platner,» Fetterman said.
A Fox News Digital review found that Gallego was the only sitting member of Congress clearly identified as having endorsed both Swalwell and Platner. Republican Arizona state Sen. Warren Peterson called Gallego’s judgment «troubling,» noting «another Gallego endorsement going down in flames.» The criticism comes as Gallego, a rising Democratic star, has left the door open to a White House run in 2028, making his political decisions subject to heightened scrutiny.
Platner had drawn support from influential Democratic figures before the latest allegations. «Pod Save America» co-host Jon Lovett acknowledged the Times report but argued Democrats had to weigh whether they preferred «a Democratic majority with Graham Platner in the Senate» or a Republican majority with incumbent Sen. Susan Collins. Co-host Jon Favreau had praised Platner as Democrats’ «best and only chance» to beat Collins and as a «good, decent man.»
Gallego’s spokesperson defended his actions, saying, «Senator Gallego did the right thing and broke with those individuals when he learned they had betrayed values he proudly fights for.» However, the pattern of endorsements has raised questions about his vetting process. Former chief counsel to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, Mike Fragoso, said the allegations against Platner were «unsurprising to anyone who actually read the NYT catch-and-kill story,» adding that the victim strongly implied the allegations there.
Under Maine election law, Democrats face a tight window to replace Platner if he withdraws from the race. The controversy has complicated Democratic efforts to unseat Collins in a key Senate battleground state. Gallego’s involvement in both the Swalwell and Platner campaigns has become a focal point for critics who question his political instincts as he eyes higher office.
