Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner officially ended his campaign Friday, submitting a withdrawal letter to state election officials that concluded with an expletive as he exited the race amid mounting political and personal turmoil.

Platner later posted an image of the letter on X. While announcing his withdrawal, he did not indicate whom he believes should replace him as the Democratic nominee to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November.

In the letter, Platner pointed to the 156,084 votes he received in last month’s Democratic primary, arguing that his victory by more than 70 percentage points demonstrated one thing: “People are desperate for change.”

“Mainers voted for a new kind of politics,” the letter read. “One that is representative of people down here in the real world — not billionaires, oligarchs or the political establishment.”

He went on to declare, “Mainers voted for Medicare for All; to ban billionaires from buying elections; and for an end to taxpayer-funded genocide and forever wars.”

The letter ended with the message: “[Curse] ICE. Free Palestine. Up the Hearts.”

Had Platner stayed in the race beyond the July 13 deadline, he would have automatically remained the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. His withdrawal now gives Maine Democratic leaders until July 27 to convene a nominating convention to select a replacement candidate.

Maine’s Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that “a formal notice has been received” from Platner notifying officials that he has officially withdrawn from the contest.

Several Democrats are already being mentioned as possible replacements on the November ballot, including former Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, former public health official Nirav Shah, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Maine Beer Co. co-founder Dan Kleban, former Capitol Hill staffer Jordan Wood, and social worker Paige Loud.

Before formally withdrawing, Platner released a video Wednesday in which he alleged that “large forces,” “corporate media” and the “political establishment” had worked together to derail his campaign.

“This was the last week to try to get me off of the ballot. And that’s why this is occurring,” Platner said, while urging Democrats to hold what he described as an “open, transparent and democratic” nominating process.

The upcoming nominating convention is expected to include approximately 600 delegates, including 100 members of the state Democratic committee and roughly 500 delegates selected proportionally by county committees.

Platner also argued that “people in DC need to stay in DC.”