Maine Democrats accused disgraced Senate candidate Graham Platner of trying to choose his replacement as frantic liberals wait to see if he drops out.

Much of the party has demanded the scandal-ridden Platner step down following an allegation of sexual assault, with a new accusation against the former oyster farmer coming out Tuesday.

The candidate has denied the allegations but has said he is considering dropping out and finding the 'best path forward' in his race against longtime incumbent Susan Collins.

Now it appears the state party is furious with him, as executive director Devon Murphy-Anderson accused Platner and his team of trying to 'put his thumb on the scale' in the choice to replace him.

'We have repeatedly reiterated to Graham Platner's team that they have no role in determining our US Senate nominee, nor in determining what this process looks like,' she said in a video posted to social media. 

Murphy-Anderson said that 'unfortunately, Graham Platner's team has repeatedly reached out in an attempt to put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like.'

Platner's team denied the accusation and said they wanted no part in the process, just to make sure that those who voted and volunteered for him were included. 

'At no point has the campaign tried to put its finger on the scale,' they said in a statement. 

The succession battle to take his place was already underway Tuesday as The Washington Post reported that an ex-girlfriend of Platner's had accused him of removing condoms during sex without her consent.

In the allegation published Monday by Politico, Jenny Racicot, a woman whom Platner previously dated, said he drunkenly forced her to have sex after she told him to stop. 

Platner, who has denied all the allegations, has been mum on whether he'll step aside. And the Maine Democratic Party, charged with creating a process to pick his replacement, hasn't publicly announced their plans. 

The allegation reported Monday prompted a chorus of calls for Platner to depart the high-stakes race against Collins, which could decide party control of the Senate. 

Platner's long-time backer, Senator Bernie Sanders, 'recommended that he step aside.' 

So far, the succession battle has played out in a murky power vacuum. 

A growing number of candidates are teasing their entry into the race as a fight shapes up between the progressive wing and the establishment camp of the Democratic Party. 

Platner became a populist hero among the party´s left flank, pulling far ahead of an establishment-backed candidate, Governor Janet Mills, in the primary. 

Now, progressive groups fear that political ground could be lost.

'To the Democratic establishment: This is not your opening,' said Joseph Geevarghese, who leads Our Revolution. 

The organization founded by Sanders backed and then withdrew its endorsement of Platner after the sexual assault allegation. 

The group said Tuesday that it was 'rallying behind' another progressive contender, Troy Jackson, who announced he's 'exploring' a candidacy.

It is the latest in a string of controversies the first-time candidate had weathered, but the seriousness of the assault claim was too far for many of his supporters in the Democratic Party.

Racicot, who lives in Maine, told Politico that Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. 

She said she had been in an on-and-off relationship with Platner, but she cut off contact with him after that night and told him the incident wasn´t consensual. 

Racicot said in a CNN interview on Monday evening that she opted not to fight back for fear of Platner, a former Marine, becoming more violent.

The pressure for Platner to withdraw from the Senate race has only increased given the short deadlines Maine law allows for replacing general election candidates. 

There is no mechanism for Democrats to remove Platner from the ballot, and the deadline to withdraw is 5pm July 13. 

State law gives the authority to choose a replacement to the state party. 

Any replacement candidate must be named by July 27.

The lack of communication from Platner and the state's Democratic Party has contributed to some confusion about what comes next as candidates tentatively toss their hats in the ring.

Some are arguing that the next Democrat should echo Platner´s progressive messaging, pointing to his success at rallying voters across the state. 

Others cautioned that having ties to Platner will only doom an already uphill campaign against Collins. 

Many are pushing for an open process even with limited time.

'No one´s enjoying this experience, and it seems like the consensus step forward should be having a fair and open process that everybody feels is legitimate,' said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee that backed Platner but now calls for him to suspend his campaign.

One possible contender, Nirav Shah, the former director of Maine´s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said Tuesday he was 'evaluating' whether to join the race. 

Shah said he´s been in contact with the Maine Democratic Party about ensuring a possible replacement process is based on 'openness, transparency and robustness.'

'Every single day that we don´t have a nominee, and a process and a clear pathway for the nominee, is another day that we´re letting Senator Collins continue to get her message out,' Shah told The Associated Press. 

'As of right now, it´s not clear what the process will be.'

Shah, who came in second in this year´s Maine Democratic gubernatorial primary, added, 'I want to give the party grace, because we´re building this plane as we´re flying it.'

Maine's governor, Mills, who sought the Democratic Senate nomination but dropped out before the June 9 primary, could be considered as another contender. 

Mills was supported by Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer but abandoned her campaign, saying she couldn't raise the money needed to compete.

Another possible replacement is Jackson, Maine´s former state Senate President, who unsuccessfully ran to be the Democratic gubernatorial nominee earlier this year with the backing of Platner and Sanders. 

Jackson filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission Tuesday to launch a Senate exploratory committee.

'Remember: Progressives overwhelmingly won the primary. A progressive MUST be on the ballot,' Our Revolution said in a fundraising email, which described Jackson as a logger and union leader who helmed Sanders' past presidential efforts in Maine.

Jordan Wood, a former U.S. Senate candidate who then switched to unsuccessfully run for Maine's 2nd District, posted Tuesday that he was 'continuing conversations' with voters about joining the race.

Other names circulating include Shenna Bellows, the current Maine Secretary of State; Dan Kleban, founder of Maine Beer Co.; and Hannah Pingree, currently Maine's Democratic gubernatorial nominee.

Bellows said in a statement she will 'seriously consider entering this race.'