NPR News: 07-07-2026 3PM EDT

Lakshmi Singh· Host0:01

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Congressional support is collapsing for Maine oysterman and Senate candidate Graham Platner following a sexual assault allegation reported by Politico. Fellow progressive Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is among the last politicians to, or the latest politicians to urge Platner, a Democrat, to drop out of the race in Maine, which the Democratic Party sees as a key path to winning back the U.S. Senate in November. Maine Public's Kevin Miller spoke with NPR's Here and Now about what happens next.

Kevin Miller0:35

So the state law only says that a political committee can put forward a replacement nominee if the withdrawal takes place before 5:00 PM next Monday. So that's on July 13th.

Lakshmi Singh· Host0:46

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Miller0:46

The committee then has two weeks, so until July 27th, to make that selection. But the process is entirely left open to the party, and that's kind of a lot of the speculation right now as to what's gonna happen if Platner- if and when Platner does decide to step down.

Lakshmi Singh· Host1:04

Mm. Politico had published a report in which Jenny Rasico accuses Platner of sexually assaulting her in 2021. Platner denied the allegation. A high-rise under construction in Midtown Manhattan is at risk of collapse. Mayor Zarin Mamdani says bricks were falling this morning from the former Pfizer building near Grand Central Terminal.

Zarin Mamdani· Soundbite1:24

Two structural columns have buckled in addition to multiple cracks and sagging floors.