New reporting reveals that—after months of remaining silent on Graham Platner and his scandals—Senate Democrat candidates across battleground states only found the courage and “moral clarity” to condemn Platner’s behavior after Chuck Schumer and the Democrats’ Senate campaign arm instructed them to.
“These Senate Democrats are loyalists to Chuck Schumer who will only do what Democrat Party leaders tell them,” said NRSC National Press Secretary Bernadette Breslin.
Jon Ossoff in Georgia, Roy Cooper in North Carolina, Sherrod Brown in Ohio, Josh Turek in Iowa, Mary Peltola in Alaska, and Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota all conveniently condemned Platner only after Schumer had finally abandoned him.
Just last week, Graham Platner bragged about the coalition of socialist Democrats he was building to join his crusade if elected, including fellow candidates James Talarico in Texas, Mary Peltola in Alaska, Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Sherrod Brown in Ohio, and Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota.
Read the timeline here or below.
. . . At 7:01 p.m., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., released a joint statement: “The allegations reported today are incredibly disturbing—violence, abuse, and sexual assault are absolutely unacceptable.”
. . .
Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota was the first Democrat Senate candidate to fall in line. At 7:07 p.m., she posted on X, “These allegations are deeply disturbing and troubling,” and called for him to end his campaign.
. . .
At 8:12 p.m., Peggy Flanagan, another Democrat Senate candidate in Minnesota, posted, “I believe Jenny. Graham Platner should not be Democrats’ nominee for U.S. Senate.”
Four minutes later, Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., said, “Mr. Platner should withdraw his candidacy for the Senate.”
Less than an hour later, Roy Cooper, Democrat Senate candidate in North Carolina, wrote, “This goes beyond politics. These are disturbing allegations, and I believe Graham Platner should drop out of this race.”
Sherrod Brown in Ohio agreed the allegations were “deeply disturbing,” and “he should drop out.” Haley Stevens in Michigan agreed, “I believe women. Graham Platner should drop out.”
The final string of statements came in at 10:35 p.m. “The allegations against Graham Platner are truly disturbing,” said Iowa’s Josh Turek. “This isn’t about party—this is about right and wrong and who should represent their state in the U.S. Senate. He should drop out immediately.”
Texas Democrat James Talarico called the allegations against Platner “credible,” and said, “he should withdraw from the race immediately.”
Finally, at 12:22 a.m. Eastern time, Mary Peltola of Alaska called the allegations disturbing and disqualifying. “He needs to drop out,” she wrote.