Political Breakdown

Sexual Assault Allegations Reshape Political Races from Maine to San Francisco

Published: July 10, 2026

Duration: 31:18

Sexual assault allegations have upended high-profile political campaigns across the country. This week, Democrat Graham Platner, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine, suspended his campaign following an accusation of rape. It comes months after former East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell’s California gubernatorial bid collapsed under similar allegations. Now, a sexual assault allegation has emerged against Manny Yekutiel, owner of Manny’s Café and candidate for San Francisco’s District 8 supervisor. KQED’s Lesley McClurg and Sydney Johnson discuss the fallout.

Then, Lesley talks with Hannah Wiley, senior politics reporter at the San Francisco Standard. She recen...