Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is facing renewed questions about his political judgment after rescinding support for a second Democratic candidate accused of misconduct involving women. The Arizona senator withdrew his endorsement of Maine Senate nominee Graham Platner on Monday following a rape allegation, just months after he was forced to pull his backing from Rep. Eric Swalwell's California gubernatorial campaign amid separate allegations of sexual assault and misconduct.
Both Platner and Swalwell have denied the allegations against them. In a post on X announcing his withdrawal from Platner's campaign, Gallego called the accusations "troubling and deeply serious." A Gallego spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the senator "did the right thing and broke with those individuals when he learned they had betrayed values he proudly fights for."
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats have offered mixed reactions to Gallego's decisions. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., was unsparing in his criticism of fellow Democrats who backed both candidates.
"I know Democrats that have back-to-back endorsed and gone all in on Swalwell and were on the Platner train as well too," Fetterman told Fox News' Laura Ingraham. "So maybe stop getting in bed with absolute dirtbags."
Fetterman said he had refused early on to look past the claims against Platner, whom he called a "dead man walking politically." He suggested that allies who defended Platner after the New York Times published allegations of abusive behavior should apologize.
Meanwhile, some progressive voices defended their initial support for Platner. Jon Lovett, co-host of Pod Save America, acknowledged after the June 4 Times report that it contained allegations that Platner was "intimidating and even physically aggressive with past romantic partners," but argued Democrats had to weigh whether they preferred "a Democratic majority with Graham Platner in the Senate" or a Republican majority with incumbent Sen. Susan Collins.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have pointed to Gallego's dual endorsements as evidence of poor judgment at a time when he is positioning himself for a potential 2028 presidential bid.
"The allegations against Platner are awful but are also unsurprising to anyone who actually read the NYT catch-and-kill story," said Mike Fragoso, former chief counsel to Senate Leader Mitch McConnell. "The victim strongly implied the allegations there."
A Fox News Digital review found Gallego was the only sitting member of Congress clearly identified as having endorsed both Swalwell and Platner. Republicans have noted that while other labor unions and progressive groups backed each candidate separately, no other federal elected official made both endorsements.
Critics on the right have suggested Gallego's presidential ambitions may be damaged by associations with candidates facing credible allegations, particularly given his delayed responses to information that was already public.
What the Numbers Show
Gallego became the only sitting member of Congress identified as having publicly endorsed both Swalwell and Platner before withdrawing support from each. The New York Times published its initial report on Platner's alleged conduct on June 4. Racicot's additional allegation surfaced in a Politico report on Monday, prompting Gallego's withdrawal hours later.
Swalwell suspended his California gubernatorial campaign earlier this year after separate allegations emerged. Both candidates have denied wrongdoing and called the allegations false. A Fox News Digital review of public endorsement announcements found no other sitting senator made both endorsements.
The Bottom Line
Gallego faces questions about when he knew what regarding both candidates. Lyndsey Fifield, Platner's former girlfriend who publicly accused him of abusive behavior before the rape allegation surfaced, questioned whether Gallego had received sufficient warning signs to act sooner. "Mine weren't sufficiently troubling or serious for you, right?" she wrote in response to his withdrawal announcement on X.
The controversy comes as Gallego is widely seen as weighing a 2028 presidential bid. His quick pivot away from both candidates has been praised by some Democrats as the correct response once credible allegations emerged, while critics argue delayed reactions suggest inadequate vetting of political allies. What happens next may depend on whether additional information about either candidate's background surfaces during an election cycle that has seen multiple high-profile allegations against Democratic office-seekers.