U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks during a primary election night watch party after winning the Democratic nomination Tuesday in Blue Hill. (Robert F. Bukaty/Associated Press)

Graham Platner is considering “the best path forward” in his campaign to unseat Sen. Susan Collins — the first sign from his campaign that he may drop out of the race.

Platner’s statement comes shortly after Politico published a woman’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her in 2021. Platner has denied the accusation.

In a two-minute video posted online by his campaign, Platner hinted that his campaign might have reached a scandal it could not weather after months of unflattering disclosures about his past. It came a week before the deadline in Maine law for a candidate to relinquish their spot on the November general-election ballot.

“Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to and the goal of defeating Susan Collins,” Platner said. “Those were the goals when we launched this campaign, and they remain my goals today.”

Maine resident Jenny Racicot told Politico that Platner entered her home uninvited while drunk in 2021, after they had dated on and off for two years, and sexually assaulted her. Politico corroborated her account by reviewing documents and speaking to a man whom Racicot had told about her experience with Platner. The Portland Press Herald has not independently verified her allegation.

Only Platner can decide to give up his place as the Democratic nominee for Senate in an election considered crucial for Democrats’ aspirations to retake the chamber from Republicans. If he drops out of the race before 5 p.m. on Monday, July 13, the Maine Democratic Party would then have two weeks to decide whom to sub in.

The odds on major prediction markets that Platner would drop out skyrocketed on Monday afternoon, hovering above 90% percent on Polymarket. By 3:30 p.m. Monday, less than 15 minutes after the Politico article was published, the odds on Kalshi that he would drop out in the coming week jumped to 71%, up from 1.5% the day before, according to the platform.

Platner’s tone in the video appeared to contrast somewhat with a defiant statement his campaign provided to Politico, saying, “These allegations are very serious and Graham vigorously denies them. They are also coached and coordinated by out of state establishment operatives.”

This is a developing story.