Just nowPlatner campaign takes aim at Maine Democratic Party in text to supportersPlatner’s campaign manager, Ben Chin, just sent this text to supporters provided to NBC News by a source taking aim at the Maine Democratic Party as he contemplates whether to drop out of the race.“We firmly believe that the supporters and volunteers who built this movement deserve to have a real role in any nomination process," the text said. "If the Maine Democratic Party hopes to harness our movement, and avoid disillusioning the hundreds of thousands of supporters who came into the fray because of our movement’s policies, it must consult the feedback and proposals of the people who built and sustained this.”20m ago / 3:44 PM EDTPlatner campaign says the candidate will address his status later todaySenior leadership from Platner's campaign held an all-hands call today with their staff to update them on the situation with the Maine Democratic nominee’s future, according to a source on the call. The senior campaign official leading the call told staff that they did not believe the allegations against Platner were true, but said they also understand the reality of the political situation and are considering their options moving forward. The official said that Platner would speak later today, but according to the source on the call, it appeared that the official was referring to Platner addressing the staff on the call, not the general public, but that was not abundantly clear. The campaign leadership did not explicitly say Platner was preparing to end his campaign. 20m ago / 3:44 PM EDTWho could replace Graham Platner as Maine’s Democratic Senate nominee? Platner has said he is weighing whether to continue his campaign after an explosive sexual assault allegation reported by Politico and CNN this week. But Democrats are already considering more than a half-dozen potential replacements for Platner in the pivotal battleground.Those candidates include Platner’s onetime rivals, current and former state lawmakers, and even the party’s 2020 Senate nominee, among others.Under Maine law, Platner must drop out by 5 p.m. Monday for state Democrats to be able to replace him on the ballot. Maine Democrats, should he do so, would likely hold a mini-convention to choose a new candidate, a person close to the process said Monday.Read the full story here.20m ago / 3:44 PM EDTPlatner weighs his future after new allegations surfacePlatner is weighing his future in Maine's Senate race nearly 48 hours after a new sexual assault allegation was made against him, which prompted top Democrats to demand that he withdraw his candidacy. Soon after Politico reported on Monday that a Maine woman whom Platner once dated said he sexually assaulted her, the Democratic candidate said in a video statement that he was considering the "best path forward." CNN also aired an interview with Platner's accuser, Jenny Racicot, 41, who alleges that in 2021, he forced himself on her at her home when he showed up unannounced and drunk. Platner denied the allegation.Numerous Democrats called on Platner to exit the race, including his top backers like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., but he has not made any public announcements since Monday. Several possible candidates have already begun preparing to enter the race in the meantime. Last night, the Maine Democratic Party accused Platner and his team of trying to "put their thumb on the scale of what this process looks like" if he were to drop out. A Platner campaign official, however, told NBC News: “The Platner campaign has reached out to the party to try and understand what this process would look like. At no point has the campaign tried to ‘put its finger on the scale.’”Maine law allows Platner to drop out by July 13, which is Monday, and that would allow the state party to select a replacement by July 27.