Senator Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona who has indicated potential presidential ambitions for 2028, is currently facing increased scrutiny regarding his judgment. This follows his decision to retract support for a second Democratic candidate embroiled in allegations of misconduct involving women.
Most recently, Senator Gallego withdrew his endorsement for Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner on Monday after a rape allegation against Platner emerged. This latest move comes just months after Gallego had to pull his backing from Eric Swalwell's unsuccessful California gubernatorial campaign, which was also shadowed by separate accusations of sexual assault and misconduct.
Both Platner and Swalwell have publicly denied the allegations leveled against them. In a post on X announcing his withdrawal of support for Platner, Gallego characterized the accusations as “troubling and deeply serious.”
Long-Standing Allegations Against Platner
Lyndsey Fifield, Platner's former girlfriend who has previously spoken out about his alleged abusive behavior, criticized Senator Gallego following his decision. She implied that Gallego had numerous warning signs about Platner's conduct well before he ultimately abandoned the embattled Maine Democrat.
Responding to Gallego's social media post, Fifield questioned, “Mine weren't sufficiently troubling or serious for you, right?” This remark referenced her accounts of her relationship with Platner, which were detailed in a New York Times article published several weeks prior.
Fifield's allegations were part of a June 4 New York Times investigation into Platner's past relationships. She claimed that he repeatedly gripped her forcefully enough to leave marks, pulled her from a taxi by her wrist, and, during one incident while they were dating years ago, twisted her arm behind her back and confined her in a room. While Fifield clarified to the Times that Platner never physically hit or punched her, she stated the alleged incidents left her feeling shaken and afraid. Platner, for his part, denied any violence and labeled the allegations as false.
Despite these claims, Platner continued to receive endorsements from influential Democratic figures both before and after the New York Times report. Jon Lovett, co-host of “Pod Save America,” acknowledged after the June 4 story that the Times had reported allegations of Platner being “intimidating and even physically aggressive with past romantic partners.” However, Lovett contended that Democrats needed to weigh whether they preferred “a Democratic majority with Graham Platner in the Senate” or a Republican majority with the incumbent, Senator Susan Collins of Maine.
Earlier, fellow “Pod Save America” co-host Jon Favreau had praised Platner, calling him Democrats’ “best and only chance” to defeat Senator Collins and describing him as a “good, decent man who’s struggled and grown and is always trying to do better.”
Democratic Figures React to Misconduct Claims
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman offered strong criticism concerning the most recent allegations against Platner. Fetterman stated, “What he did, is he effectively broke in her home – he went in her home without her consent, then he came upstairs and assaulted her. She also described that created a dangerous situation for a possible pregnancy because of those circumstances, what he's done.”
Fetterman further commented on Platner's political viability, saying, “He was already a dead man walking politically.” He also directly addressed the “Pod Save America” hosts, adding, “Even those Pod Save America people who pushed that dirtbag, and they dismissed those things in the New York Times article, maybe they ought to apologize to the women that clearly they didn't believe, or they dismissed.”
Fetterman concluded his remarks by criticizing Democrats who had supported both controversial figures: “I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and gone all in on Swalwell and were on the Platner train as well too. So, maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirtbags – someone like Platner.”
Mike Fragoso, formerly chief counsel to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, also weighed in after the latest allegations against Platner. He stated, “The allegations against Platner are awful but are also unsurprising to anyone who actually read the NYT catch-and-kill story. The victim strongly implied the allegations there.”
The most recent allegation, which triggered Gallego's withdrawal of support, came from Jenny Racicot, a Maine Democrat. Racicot, who had dated Platner intermittently from 2019 to 2021 and had previously spoken to the Times for its June story, alleged in a Monday Politico report that Platner entered her home uninvited in late 2021 after she had told him not to visit. She claimed he was intoxicated, ignored her repeated objections, and forced her to have sex. Politico reported that it had reviewed text messages and emails with Racicot’s therapist and interviewed individuals she confided in after the alleged assault. Platner has again denied this allegation, calling it false.
Following the Politico report, Senator Gallego joined several other prominent Democrats in either rescinding their support for Platner or publicly calling for him to withdraw from the race. Democratic operatives are now facing a narrow timeframe under Maine election law to potentially replace Platner should he exit.
Republican Arizona state Senator Warren Peterson commented on the situation, stating, “Gallego's judgment is troubling. Another Gallego endorsement going down in flames.”
Fragoso further suggested that for various Democratic entities and individuals, including “Schumer’s PAC, Senatorial, Gallego, the Pod Bros, et al.,” the only significant change in sentiment towards Platner was driven by polling data.
Scrutiny Over Senator Gallego's Personal History and Campaign Finances
Meanwhile, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky critiqued Gallego's personal history, posting on X, “Ruben Gallego is dropping Graham Platner like he’s a pregnant wife.”
This comment refers to separate past scrutiny faced by Gallego concerning his 2016 divorce from his then-wife, Kate Gallego, who was pregnant at the time.
Unsealed divorce records reportedly indicated that Gallego filed for divorce on December 15, 2016. His own motion to seal the case noted that Kate Gallego “had not yet been served” but was “likely to give birth any day.”
Beyond the scrutiny of his divorce, Senator Gallego has also encountered complaints regarding his use of campaign funds for personal expenses, including family travel and childcare. A week prior, Politico reported that Gallego utilized campaign money for family trips to destinations such as Miami, Saint Barthélemy, Disneyland, Disney World, and Chicago. He also used funds to attend the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona, though the senator asserted that these tickets represented a legitimate campaign fundraising expenditure.