Yahya Yuksel Won't Quit 2nd District Race, Despite Sex Allegation

TUCSON, AZ — Democrat Yahya Yuksel, accused of raping an intoxicated teenager when he was in high school, is refusing to drop out of the 2nd District congressional race, despite calls by some leading Pima County Democrats to do just that. Yuksel, 28, denied the decade-old allegation in a news conference Sunday.

“I just want to say that no woman should be dismissed, no one should be dismissed. And women should be empowered to speak up," Yuksel said. "Regarding the allegation, it is deeply disturbing to me. It hurts. I could never ever force myself upon someone.”

In early 2008, a 17-year-old girl told a school counselor that she had been raped while drinking with Yuksel and that she had gotten “woozy.” According to the police report, she said she had sat down on the bed with Yuksel and tried to push him off after he began to kiss her. She told him “she did not want to” to have sex, but said he pulled off her clothing, put on a condom and had intercourse with her.

The allegations were never formally investigated after the girl told authorities she “did not want to press any charges or be a victim,” and Yuksel unsuccessfully petitioned the court to have the police report “cleared from (his) record.”

The local Political Action Committee Represent Me AZ has withdrawn its invitation to Yuksel to participate in a debate Thursday. The group hasn’t endorsed a candidate, but had hoped he would withdraw from the race. Yuksel said he “didn’t do anything wrong.”

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Yuksel left the news conference without taking questions, but returned after a young woman followed him out of the room, according to the Arizona Daily Star. The newspaper said he skirted a question about why he still felt he should remain in the race.

When pressed, he said: “Listen, my friend; I was a virgin. I would not do anything like that. I would not impose myself on a person.”

In a statement, the Political Action Committee Represent Me AZ said:

“Attempting to explain away the damage by citing your youth was, at best, tone-deaf, and at worst, perpetuates a dangerous rape culture in which women who cannot give consent are frightened into silence are victimized further. Following today's press conference, we are not willing to give you access to voters.”

The Arizona primary election is Aug. 28. Yuksel is one of seven candidates seeking the Democratic nomination. Others are Matt Heinz, Ann Kirkpatrick, Billy Kovacs, Mary Matiella, Barbara Sherry and Bruce Wheeler.

Four Republicans — Lea Marquez Peterson, Brandon Martin, Danny Morales and Casey Welch — are also running.

The 2nd District seat is held by Republican Martha McSally, who is running for the U.S. Senate. She was first elected to Congress in 2014.

Photo via Yahya Yuksel for Congress campaign