The Senate campaign of Graham Platner in Maine has come to an abrupt end, but the controversy surrounding the Democrat's insurgent campaign has left a trail of debris that Republicans are now using to attack Democrats in other crucial midterm races.
Platner's decision to suspend his campaign following allegations of rape from a woman he previously dated has given Republicans ammunition to use against Democrats in a handful of House and Senate races that will directly impact the midterm battle for control of Congress.
As a populist Democrat backed by leading national progressives, Platner was challenging longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a high-profile and expensive race in Maine, one of a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November's midterm elections.
The allegations against Platner, including past inflammatory online comments and revelations of a now-covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, had already forced him on defense ahead of his primary victory last month.
Platner repeatedly denied the allegations, but Republicans see an opportunity to use his toxic baggage as a cudgel against some Democrats on the ballot in key races this year, especially those who once backed the Maine candidate or defended him against previous allegations.
Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters charged that "every Democrat that endorsed Graham Platner endorsed a rapist, and every Democrat that stayed silent was complicit."
The GOP quickly took aim at Matt Dunlap, the Democratic nominee in Maine's 2nd Congressional District, a Democrat-controlled open seat in a mostly rural district that President Donald Trump carried in the past three presidential elections.
Dunlap endorsed Platner and appeared with him at a campaign event days before Maine's June 9 primary, leading Republicans to argue that he is out of touch with voters.
In neighboring battleground New Hampshire, the NRCC took aim at Stefany Shaheen, the polling front runner in the September primary in the state's 1st Congressional District, another crucial swing seat that will determine if the GOP holds its razor-thin House majority in the midterms.
Shaheen never endorsed Platner, but did not explicitly condemn him until Monday, when she said in a statement that "the allegations of sexual assault are extremely disturbing."
The Shaheen campaign told Fox News Digital that Republicans are being hypocritical, pointing to President Donald Trump as an example of the double standard.
Stefany Shaheen called for Graham Platner to drop out, but Republicans are arguing that she should be held accountable for her association with him.
The general election winner in the congressional race will succeed four-term Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, who is running for the Senate this year.
Former GOP Sen. John E. Sununu, the Republican front-runner in that race, took aim at Pappas over what he charged were the "failures of Chris Pappas when it comes to Graham Platner."
Democrats question how effective any concerted push by the GOP to use Platner as ammunition may be with voters this autumn.
Battleground district voters don't care about Graham Platner, according to CJ Warnke, communications director at the House Majority PAC, the top super PAC supporting congressional Democrats.
Warnke argued that voters "care about how Republicans broke their promise lower costs by passing a toxic agenda of tariffs, new wars, and devastating health care cuts. Meanwhile, Democrats are running on making life more affordable and rooting out corruption, and in November we're going to win."
