Rep. Dean says Platner, who represents the Maine Senate, has removed himself

Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., said Friday on “News Central” that Graham Platner has “finished” the Maine US Senate race after running mate Boris Sanchez asked if he supports the Democratic Alliance’s Senate campaign.

“I think it’s very sad,” Dean said. “All the news coming out, and it’s increasing, it seems, by the hour. I’m not a voter in Maine, but he outed himself. In my eyes. He’s not fit to be a representative, senator. We’ll see what Maine does about it. And I know Gov. Mills is staying on the ballot, but he outed himself.”

Platner, an oyster farmer and combat veteran, is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge veteran Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Fox News Digital reported that Lyndsey Fifield, an ex-girlfriend, told The New York Times that Platner repeatedly grabbed her to leave marks, dragged her into a taxi and, in one incident, twisted his arm behind her back and held her in a bedroom while they were dating more than a decade ago.

Platner acknowledged the personal failings in a statement to the AP while denying the broader allegations.

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“Any interpretation beyond that is false,” Platner said, adding that he believed the allegations were “politically motivated.”

Platner’s scrutiny has gone beyond recent allegations. He previously faced revelations about graphic sex messages he shared with married women, a skull tattoo recognized as a Nazi symbol that he said he didn’t understand until the campaign and past Reddit posts decrying sexual assault in the military and using homophobic slurs, for which he has apologized.

Dean’s comments also came as Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who suspended the campaign, remains on the ballot in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. WGME reported that Maine’s deputy secretary of state said Mills did not legally withdraw from the election and his votes will be counted.

Graham Platner is facing mounting criticism in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary as new allegations and past controversies continue to surface. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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Mills said voters can still choose him because he “has run an effective campaign” and “is still going to vote.”

The comments came at the end of a wide-ranging conversation with Dean, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who initially criticized the Trump administration’s talks on Iran. He said US policy should focus on ending conflicts and preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Dean said the administration must rely more on diplomats as they seek a deal with Iran.

“What I want us to do is work with the ambassadors,” said Dean. “You saw that the president is not honest with the ambassadors.”

Maine Gov. Janet Mills remains the Democratic nominee as Platner’s campaign faces renewed criticism from members of her own party. (Sophie Park/Getty Images; Scott Eisen/Getty Images)

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Dean also said the US should not freeze Iranian assets without permission.

“We shouldn’t release those assets without getting some kind of justice and agreement,” Dean said.

Asked about the immigration enforcement bill being passed through Congress, Dean said Democrats would oppose the administration’s proposed $1.8 billion weapons fund.

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“We’re going to do everything we can to try to stop it,” Dean said.

He also criticized the additional funding for ICE, saying that the agency should not receive additional funding.

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“ICE doesn’t need another bowl,” Dean said. “Basically, we need to defund ICE.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Platner for comment, but he did not immediately respond.