Jenny Racicot, the woman accusing Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner of rape, said during a CNN interview that one of the hardest parts of coming forward was that she actually supports many of Platner’s political positions.
Appearing Monday on The Lead with Jake Tapper, Racicot pushed back on suggestions that her allegations were politically motivated. Instead, she said her political agreement with Platner was one of the main reasons she remained silent for years.
“There are going to be people, maybe even his campaign, certainly his supporters, who say this is politically motivated,” Tapper said. “What would you say to that?”
“I couldn’t disagree more,” Racicot replied. “That was actually one of the reasons that I didn’t come out.”
Tapper then asked whether that hesitation stemmed from the fact that she agreed with Platner’s politics.
“I do,” Racicot answered. “I really agree with his politics. I think we need somebody with those political stances and who are willing to do the work. And I see his political videos. They get me fired up as well. I understand why people want someone like him in office.”
She said she struggled with the possibility that telling her story could derail the campaign of a candidate whose platform she otherwise supported.
“I felt like me coming forward would essentially, potentially, take that away,” she said. “And I felt really uncomfortable with the responsibility of and the weight of my story and what that might do.”
Tapper later asked whether she believed voters should reject Platner because of her allegations.
Racicot stopped short of making that argument.
“I’m not going to go as far as to say that,” she said. “I’m just here to tell my story, to give a clearer picture of who he is and the type of past that he has. And I just think it’s fair to the democratic process to let people know who they’re voting for.”
The interview also explored how her allegations have affected relationships with friends who continue to support Platner’s candidacy despite believing her account.
Tapper asked how she would respond to Democrats who accept her allegations but still intend to vote for Platner because they believe he would be an effective progressive voice in the Senate.
Racicot acknowledged that some people close to her have taken exactly that position.
“I have friends who feel that way, and that’s been a hard pill to swallow,” she said. “I understand that the state of our political environment is so much so that we need a lot of change, and he’s offering that change.”
She added that she does not resent those who supported Platner before the allegations became public.
“I’m not mad at anyone who has voted for him all along,” Racicot said. “If he wasn’t who he was, I would be voting for him as well.”
Platner has denied Racicot’s allegations. His campaign has characterized the accusations as false and politically motivated. The allegations have nevertheless intensified scrutiny of his Senate campaign as Democratic leaders reconsider their support and questions continue about whether he will remain in the race.
